The Reason
by Lucretia Cyphus
Summary: Post DH. Narcissa goes to visit her estranged sister Andromeda. She wants to know why Meda thinks Bella became so evil. Meda and Cissy both know the answer, and it's a horrible one. Told through their memories of their father, and how much he hurt them.
1. Why?

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I'll only write it once. Honestly, if I owned Harry Potter or any of it's characters, do you really think I'd write fanfiction for it?

Narcissa Malfoy walked quickly up the front steps in the Muggle neighborhood. She knew she was defying everything her husband and her family had ever taught her, but she no longer cared. All that had ever done was make trouble and she had in a way lost both her sisters due to that insanity. Narcissa hoped it might not be too late to get one of those sisters back. She needed an answer to a question she had been asking herself for several years.

Narcissa knocked on the door of Andromeda Tonks' house. It took a moment for the door to open. Narcissa held her breath as it did. She gazed upon her older sister for the first time in many years.

Andromeda was shocked to say the least. She had seen her younger sister once since she had been disowned, a few days after the first war ended. What could Narcissa possibly want now?

"Meda," Narcissa said cautiously.

"Why are you here Cissy?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, if that's alright."

Andromeda hesitated, then opened the door a little wider. Narcissa stepped inside and looked around. The house was very quiet and tidy. Andromeda led Narcissa into the kitchen and they stared uncomfortably at each other for a minute.

"Would you like some tea?" Andromeda asked.

"That would be lovely." Narcissa responded, relieved that she hadn't been turned away immediately. Andromeda started heating water, when suddenly an infant's cry pierced the silence.

"That's Teddy. I'll be right back." Andromeda left Narcissa in the kitchen. While she was gone, Narcissa looked around. While it was certainly a wizard kitchen, there were traces of Muggle living, like the electric light switch, although Narcissa couldn't really tell if that was used or not. She was rather surprised at herself because she was not disgusted by the presence of some Muggle objects. She simply didn't care about it anymore.

Andromeda came back into the kitchen with an infant in her arms.

'Teddy, her grandson.' Narcissa reminded herself. When she remembered exactly why Andromeda would be raising the baby instead of her daughter, Narcissa felt a twinge of regret for the question she needed to ask. Hopefully, Andromeda would be open to discussing it.

"He's hungry, this will just take a minute." Andromeda quickly warmed up a bottle of milk and started feeding the small boy, who quieted instantly. After he was burped, he fell asleep, and Andromeda put him down for his nap.

"So, Narcissa, what did you want to talk to me about. It seems rather odd for you to choose now after so many years."

"I've spent the past few weeks mulling over the past, trying to figure out where it all began…"

"Cissy, it began thousands of years before we were born…"

"No, I mean with just us, especially, well, especially Bella."

Andromeda's eyes darkened at the name of her older sister and she turned away from Narcissa for a moment.

"Meda, I know she's probably the last person you want to talk about right now, but..."

"Cissy, she killed my daughter, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's the one who killed my husband so you're right Cissy, I don't want to discuss her."

"What Bella did was unforgivable, I know that. I realize that everything she has done was unforgivable. I've just been trying to figure out when it all happened. When she became so bad. You must remember the times before the war, before she started wanting to destroy everyone."

Andromeda's eyes softened, but she looked more sad than angry now.

"Yes, I remember."

"The three of us were always together, we all loved each other. When did that stop? Why would she have become so…evil? I've been trying to figure it out for almost a year now, but I can't."

Andromeda looks at her sister, her eyes starting to fill.

"You know why Cissy, I know you do. You're hoping it's another reason, but there's not. Bella went evil for the same reason I ran off and defied everything he ever stood for, and for the same reason during your adolescence you became quite…"

"Slutty." Narcissa finished for Andromeda.

"Well, I was going to use a nicer word, but yes. Cissy, it was because of Dad, and how he treated us when we were young girls."

Narcissa also started softly crying, as they both remembered the horrors that their father had put them through, and their individual reactions to it as teenagers.


	2. The First Time

Chapter 2

The First Time

It was Christmas Eve, and the Black children were running through the house full of excitement. Bellatrix was the oldest, at twelve and in her second year at Hogwarts. Then there was Andromeda, age ten, due to start Hogwarts next year. Narcissa was seven, and she was the youngest of Cygnus' and Druella's children. Orion and Walburga's children were the two little boys, Sirius age four, and Regulus age two.

Sirius was running around in his element, trying to annoy Narcissa to no end. The children had been allowed to open some of their presents after dinner, and Sirius had decided that ruining his cousin's new dress by getting Spello Tape all over it was a fun idea. Narcissa shrieked, and begged Andromeda to get Sirius away from her, but it was Bellatrix who came to his sister's rescue. Bella picked Sirius up and brought him to the other side of the room to where she and Andromeda had been sitting. Sirius yelled as the two sisters started to mercilessly tickle him while Narcissa ran to her mother to get the tape off her new dress.

Sirius eventually escaped Bellatrix and Andromeda's clutches and ran into the dining room where the adults were talking.

"Help me, their attacking me!" He screamed as the girls chased him through the room laughing. Alphard Black, the children's uncle, quickly scooped the little boy up, laughing at the children's antics.

"Alright girls, stop torturing your cousin, it's time for you all to go to bed," said Druella.

"Why do we have to go to bed at the same time as the little kids?" Bellatrix complained, while Andromeda nodded along with her.

"Because we said so, now you two and Narcissa will be sharing your room Bellatrix, because your Aunti Walburga and Uncle Orion have the guest room, leaving Uncle Alphard in your room Andromeda, and Sirius and Regulus in Narcissa's room."

The girls groaned, and didn't notice that their father had a strange gleam in his eyes, pleased with the arrangement. They collected their sister Narcissa and went upstairs to Bella's room to sleep.

Several hours later, the house was dead silent, as everyone had gone to bed, but Cygnus Black had not yet fallen asleep. He was still buzzed from the alcohol he had drunk at dinner and dessert. He got out of bed and started heading purposefully to the room where all his daughters were sleeping. He entered the room silently, and made his way over to one of the beds. He realized it was Andromeda, not Bellatrix, so he went over to the next bed. There she was, the beautiful fairy like girl, who he wanted so much. He pulled down her covers, and started to feel her chest, which had recently started to develop. She woke up to the strange sensation and looked up at her father, confusion evident in her young eyes.

"Dad, what are you doing?" She asked, starting to feel scared. His hands began making their way down her body, and she started struggling. He put one hand on her mouth as she started.

At the moment Bellatrix had spoken, Andromeda had woken up. She was always a light sleeper. What she saw made her very confused. Her daddy on top of her sister, touching her strangely, his hand over her mouth. When she saw how scared her sister was, Andromeda gasped loudly, which made her father look up. He got off of Bellatrix and walked over to Andromeda. Andromeda was frightened as he walked over to her, but she couldn't move. She got confused when he spoke to her kindly.

"It's alright darling, it's meant to be fun."

With that, he started to do the same thing to Andromeda, while Bellatrix watched, astounded. Andromeda started crying softly out of fear, but both she and Bellatrix were too scared to yell for help.

Cygnus finished what he felt like doing to Andromeda and left the room, but not before kissing a still sleeping Narcissa, who did not wake up. When he was gone, the two sisters stared at each other, and made a silent agreement about what had just happened to them. It would be a secret.


	3. Christmas Morning

Chapter 3

The Next Day

AN: sob sob, no reviews as of yet, but I will update anyway.

Christmas morning had never been awkward before. Andromeda pretended to be asleep when Narcissa got up early and excitedly ran downstairs. She heard Sirius running around the house, yelling joyously. A little while later, her mother came upstairs to see what happened to her and Bellatrix, who had not gotten up either.

"Bella, Meda, what are you two still doing asleep. Come downstairs for breakfast and the rest of the presents."

Andromeda couldn't remember a Christmas morning when she had not been almost as excited as the little ones. She knew Bellatrix felt the same way. The two girls walked slowly down the stairs toward the dining room, trying to avoid their father for as long as possible. When they got downstairs, their father greeted them as he did every morning. He kissed their foreheads. Andromeda flinched slightly when he reached for her, but she noticed Bella didn't.

Andromeda was starting to think that maybe she had dreamed the whole thing. Maybe her imagination had just gone wild, it wouldn't have been the first time. Her father was acting just as he always did, and so was Bella. It must have been her imagination, she kept telling herself, wanting very badly for it to be true.

"So, that was the first time it happened?" Narcissa was surprised.

"Yes. Well, it was definitely the first time it happened to me. But, I remember the look on her face, and I'm sure it hadn't happened before."

Andromeda was trying to stop herself from getting overly emotional, but it was getting difficult with the memory of that night. Her voice starting to break, she continued.

"I remember, that whole day, I tried to convince myself that it was all just a horrible dream. Father was acting like it had never happened and so was Bella. But there was a change in her that I didn't truly comprehend at first. Bella was angry that whole time she was home. She never wanted to do anything and she snapped at everyone constantly. She seemed to hate him too, even though we always knew she was his favorite."

Narcissa was trying not to cry now, but she was remembering that time too.

"I remember thinking that something was strange, but I was so young I couldn't comprehend what it was. All I knew was that Bella was angry and you seemed distant."

She paused, then decided to ask,

"Meda, did it happen again before you went to Hogwarts, because you were gone the next fall."

Andromeda looked at her younger sister with sorrow in her eyes.

"He didn't do it anymore to Bella that Christmas break, but after she left, he did it to me again, twice. Then she came home for the summer, I know he did it to her again too. I was so relieved when I left for Hogwarts that fall, I just couldn't wait to be rid of him."

Next: Andromeda starts Hogwarts, and we learn about when it happened to Narcissa the first time.


	4. Home Again, Unfortunately

Chapter 4

Home Again, Unfortunately

It was Christmas time again. It would be Andromeda's first time home since starting Hogwarts. While most of the kids in her year were rather excited to go home, she was dreading it. She had thoroughly enjoyed her first term and had no desire to see her father right now.

Andromeda had been sorted into Slytherin like the rest of her family. The Sorting Hat had not wanted to put her there, it had strongly suggested Ravenclaw.

_"Black, Andromeda."_

_Andromeda stepped forward towards the stool nervously. She put on the hat and waited. She heard a voice at last._

_'Hmm, a Black I see, I have placed your entire family in Slytherin. But, I don't think that suites you, a mind like yours.'_

_'No,' Andromeda thought at the hat. 'You mustn't put me anywhere but Slytherin. I need to be near my sister. I don't want my family to be angry.'_

_'Are you sure, because it seems that with a mind like yours, Ravenclaw would be the right house for you.'_

_'No, it has to be Slytherin, I want to be with my sister.'_

_'Well, if you're sure, then it will be SLYTHERIN!'_

_Cheers came from the Slytherin table, proud to have another member of the Noble and Ancient House of Black among them. Bellatrix smiled, something rare to see for the past year, and made space for Andromeda to sit with her._

Despite Andromeda's reasoning for having the hat place her in her family's house, she had been wondering for the entire term whether she had made the correct choice. Most of the friends she had made had been from the other houses, especially Ravenclaw. Bellatrix rarely spent time with her except for meals.

Despite all that, Andromeda was very happy with her first term. Her favorite and best class was Charms, for which Professor Flitwick had pronounced her a natural. Transfiguration was hard, but she was getting better. Potions was alright, Professor Slughorn was a nice man. Defense Against the Dark Arts was interesting, History of Magic was boring, Herbology was okay. She enjoyed making new friends and for awhile had managed to forget about the past year quite a bit.

Now though, now she would be forced to face her father again. She wondered if Bellatrix was feeling as nervous as she was. Bellatrix had always acted as though it had never happened, which for awhile had led Andromeda to believe that maybe Bellatrix wasn't bothered and she shouldn't be either. But that didn't fit the terrified expression Bella had sported that first night.

Andromeda said goodbye to her friend Molly Prewitt when they got off the train and she found Bellatrix before going through the barrier. Once in King's Cross, Bellatrix spotted Druella Black with Narcissa and dragged her sister over with her. Andromeda was pleased to see that her father was not there.

"Hello dear, did you have a good first term?" Druella hugged her second daughter fondly.

"It was great mother."

"Well, I want to hear all about it later, and Bellatrix how about you?"

While Bellatrix greeted their mother, Andromeda turned to hug her little sister.

"Hi Cissy, I missed you."

"Hi Meda," Narcissa said very softly. That wasn't like Cissy, who had always been a very bubbly little girl, and had seen her sisters off with a lot of enthusiasm, shouting about how much she would miss them. Needless to say, Andromeda had expected a rather more enthusiastic welcome home from her.

It wasn't just that though. There was something else different about Narcissa. She looked rather sad, and wasn't quite meeting her sister's eyes, as though she were hiding something. A horrible thought crossed Andromeda's mind, and she wanted so badly for it not to be true.

'No, he wouldn't do it to Cissy would he?' she asked herself, horrified.

But the idea had planted itself in her head, and Andromeda had a feeling it was true. She wasn't positive yet, she'd have to find out.

It was a fairly quick journey home, and Cygnus had not yet arrived back at the house, much to Andromeda's relief. She brought her stuff upstairs and started unpacking. For the millionth time wondered if this was all in her head, but five minutes later she would be forced to admit once and for all that it wasn't.

Andromeda heard crying coming from the next room and went to investigate. Narcissa was curled up on her bed, clutching her stuffed unicorn, sobbing. Andromeda walked over to her sister, lay down next to her, and hugged her. Narcissa immediately clung to Andromeda and cried into her chest.

"What's wrong Cissy?" she asked her softly.

Narcissa just kept crying and refused to tell Andromeda anything. After several minutes, Andromeda decided to take a stab in the dark.

"Did Daddy upset you?" If she was right, Cissy might open up. If she was wrong, she would be able to cover it up quickly.

Narcissa sat up quickly and looked at her sister with wide eyes. Andromeda knew she had been right. Her father had…well, Andromeda wasn't sure if there was an exact word for what her father had done. The only one she could think of was 'touched' and that didn't seem like a very good description somehow. However, it was all she had to go on.

"Did Dad touch you Cissy?" Andromeda asked softly. Narcissa looked confused, so Andromeda elaborated,

"Did he touch you in a bad place?"

Narcissa nodded, and started crying again. At that moment Bellatrix walked in.

"What's going on?" she barked at them, as she did a lot with people nowadays.

"Bella, he did it to Cissy now?"

Bellatrix stared for a second, expressionless.

"Did what to you Cissy?"

"What he did to us Bella."

"Father never did anything to us," she stated boldly.

"Bella, I know you remember, I was there too you know," Andromeda started getting angry. She knew her older sister had spent the entire year pretending nothing had happened but it was getting serious now.

"You know it happened Bella," she stated angrily.

Bella started to look very upset rather than angry. Her eyes began to fill, but she got rid of her tears quickly.

"Listen you two, no one can know about this, understand? We can't tell anyone about it, anyone."

"Why?" Narcissa asked.

"Because do you want everyone to know? We can't talk about it, not even to mother. Bad things could happen if we did."

"Like what?" Andromeda wanted to know.

"Maybe it could get worse. Who'd believe us anyway? Father is a very respected man. No one can know, ever, understand?"

Andromeda and Narcissa looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.

Review Responses:

Nee-Nee: thank you for being my first, and so far only reviewer! I'm glad you like the story, I hope you keep reading.


	5. Three Years Later

Chapter Five

3 Years Later

It was the end of Andromeda's fourth year of Hogwarts and she was once again dreading the end of the school year. However, it wasn't just for the same reasons as before. This year had been fun because she and Molly had been hanging out with this really cool Gryffindor (Molly's house) guy named Arthur Weasley. He had a knack for making people laugh, and didn't resent her just for being a Slytherin like a lot of Gryffindors did. Andromeda suspected that Molly had a crush on Arthur, and wished the school year could go on so she could see where it was going.

Along with Arthur Weasley came his Hufflepuff friend Ted Tonks, who to Andromeda's surprise was Muggleborn. She had always been told that Muggleborns were filthy thieves of magic, but she liked Ted Tonks. Plus, that was her father's view and Andromeda was now of the opinion that if her father believed something, it must be horrible. Ted Tonks was a perfectly nice guy and he was rather talented.

Bellatrix wasn't exactly pleased with her, but she had been such a bitch the past few years that Andromeda really no longer cared. Narcissa had made friends fairly quickly and didn't bother much with either of her older sisters, so no one was really stopping Andromeda doing whatever she liked anyway.

However, today was the train ride home for the summer. The four friends were sitting in their own compartment, where the other three were joking around while Andromeda just stared out the window, dreading what might happen when she was home for the summer. Her father had never stopped after all.

"Andromeda, are you okay?" Ted asked. She jumped out of her thoughts and noticed her three friends looking at her.

"Yeah, why?"

"You've been almost silent the whole ride." Molly answered for Ted.

"Oh, just thinking about the holiday. Not really looking forward to it to be honest."

"Why?" Ted asked.

Andromeda did some fast thinking, she obviously wasn't going to tell him the real reason.

"I have to spend all my time with Bella and Cissy. Bella's been a real bitch this year and I just don't feel like dealing with her. And, she just turned seventeen which means she can do magic this summer."

"That's not good," Molly said, having met Bellatrix on occasion.

"Yeah." Andromeda said softly.

Several hours later, Andromeda, Narcissa and Bellatrix were back at the Black House. Andromeda immediately went to her room and started unpacking. She stayed in her room until the House Elf came to tell her dinner was ready. Dinner was pleasant enough, just a lot of inquiries as to how everyone's school year was. Most of the attention was given to Narcissa since it had been her first year. Everything seemed almost normal with the family, Andromeda actually felt more at ease. However, that feeling would quell an hour later.

Andromeda was walking down the corridor to her room, when she heard commotion coming from Bellatrix's room. Well, not commotion exactly, but she could tell something was more off than usual. Andromeda never knew what made her open the door, but she did.

What she saw frightened and disgusted her at the same time. Bellatrix was on the bed, with their father on top of her. He was doing more than just feeling her now. He was thrusting her body, while she was whimpering in pain beneath him. Half her clothes had been removed, and she was crying. Their father seemed to be rather enjoying himself. Andromeda could only stare through the crack, horrified. Her father eventually got off her sister, and Andromeda could see that Bellatrix was bleeding. She also knew that it was not menstrual blood.

When Cygnus got off the bed, Andromeda quickly, but quietly shut the door and ran out of pure instinct. She was sure her father had seen her, and wanted to get away quickly before he could get to her. As Andromeda was no longer a little girl, she now knew exactly what her father had done to Bellatrix and knew that it could happen to her too. She didn't know how she could help Bellatrix at this point, she knew she had to protect herself and Cissy. The problem was, she wasn't sure how.

A few minutes later, Bellatrix had stormed past her and into the loo, where Andromeda heard the shower start. It stayed on for several hours.

A/N: Does anyone think that I should up the rating of this story? I don't think it's too graphic, but others might feel differently. Let me know what you think.


	6. The Talk

Chapter Six

The Talk

Review Responses:

**Master Amateratsu**: As far as I know, most abusers don't really have reasons for doing what they do, at least not what we would call a reason. Cygnus is doing it because he is a horrible father and man and he is a pervert. That's the best answer I can give I'm afraid, the story isn't really about why he is doing it, it's more about the effects of the deed. Sorry I can't give you a better answer.

**SaintRidley**: I'm glad you found the story and are enjoying it!

**NeonFishnets**: I'm glad you like the story. You're not weird, most of the stories I like on this site have something to do with abuse, that's probably how I came up this idea.

**Princessenr1**: I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. Oh, and I got your message, I had no idea there were more crazies like me and my best friend who did all day movie marathons! That's so awesome, we've done most of the same ones. The day we did Pirates we also did Spiderman. We haven't done Harry Potter yet though, we're waiting until all seven are on DVD.

**ascii27**: I'm glad you think so, because it's probably going to get creepier.

Thanks for reviewing everyone, love you for it!

The next day Andromeda was in her room reading, or you really couldn't call it reading as she was mulling over what she had seen. Bella had finally gotten out of the shower about two hours ago but no one had seen her. Druella had come home from her party about a half hour before Bellatrix had gotten out of the shower, so she still had no idea what was going on.

And that was something Andromeda was having a hard time believing. How was it that her mother could simply look at someone and tell if they were muggleborn, but who after four years still hadn't learned what a monster her husband was. Admittedly, Bellatrix was a great actress and was determined that no one would find out, but Andromeda was surprised that her mother hadn't noticed that Cissy was different, or herself.

As she was thinking about this, there was a knock on her door and Cissy walked in. She appeared troubled and Andromeda immediately became fearful that their father had attacked Cissy as well. Her thoughts were proved false with Cissy's next sentence.

"What did Dad do to Bella?"

"What do you mean?" 'She couldn't have seen it too could she,' Andromeda thought.

"She's been acting weird all day. She took a five-hour shower, she's snapping over the dumbest things, more so than usual, and now she's threatening violence towards me for looking in her drawer for…"

"Yes, Dad did something to her, something bad. I saw it happen but I couldn't do anything about it!" Andromeda felt herself getting hysterical, although she wasn't one hundred percent why. "He attacked her Cissy, and if we're not careful he'll do it to us too I know he will!"

Narcissa was stunned. Her eleven-year-old mind could barely comprehend what her sister meant by attack but her experience had given her an idea. Andromeda's hysterical outburst scared her more.

Andromeda calmed herself and started to talk more rationally.

"We have to get Bellatrix to tell someone. No one will believe us, she has to make the accusation. It might never stop if we don't."

"Should we talk to her now?" Narcissa was slightly afraid of what Bella might do, as she had been so unpredictable lately.

"I guess the sooner the better."

The two sisters walked down the hall to Bellatrix's room apprehensively. They knocked and heard her voice snap sharper than it ever sounded.

"Who is it?!"

"Um, it's us Bella." Andromeda answered with caution.

"What do you to want?"

"We just want to talk to you."

"Fine, come in." She sighed.

Narcissa and Andromeda walked into the room. Bellatrix's possessions had been thrown all over the room, which was extremely unlike Bellatrix. She always wanted everything to be perfect, as it was supposed to be.

"Well, what is it," she snapped at them.

"Bella, I uh, I saw what happened last night."

Bellatrix looked at her strangely.

"What are you going on about?"

"Last night, Bella, in here, you and Dad." Andromeda said.

Bellatrix snapped.

"What have I told you about talking about this!"

"Bella, he attacked you…"

"Shut up you little wench!" With that Bellatrix drew her wand and pointed it at Andromeda.

"You too Narcissa. I've told you both never to speak of it! Get out!"

"Look Bella, you have to tell someone…" Andromeda begged.

"Get out, both of you!" Cissy ran from the room in fright. Andromeda stood her ground.

"Bella please listen…"

She was suddenly blasted across the room and felt herself hit the wall. She could barely move from the pain and the shock of it. She half heard, half saw Bellatrix run from the room down the hall. Andromeda slowly got up and walked slowly to the bathroom. When she looked in the mirror, she understood why her face was hurting so much. When she had hit the wall she had been so disoriented she didn't know where she had been hit. There was a large bruise forming on her cheek. One that probably wouldn't fade for awhile.

An hour later the House Elf came to tell Andromeda that dinner was about to be served. She sighed as she walked downstairs, knowing that her mother would at least notice the bruise and she would be expected to say something about it. Sure enough before she had even sat down, Druella asked,

"Andromeda dear, what happened to your face?!" Druella quickly got up from the table to look at her daughter's bruised face. "Did someone do this to you?"

While Druella was fussing, Andromeda looked over at her sisters. Narcissa was looking between the two of them while Bellatrix just glared a warning to Andromeda. Andromeda understood the glare probably even better than her sister did. Bellatrix would not hesitate to hurt her sister again if she revealed the truth. And that wasn't just the truth about where Andromeda's bruise came from, but about everything else as well.

"Oh, I fell down some stairs earlier today and hit my face. But don't worry I'm okay now."

"Are you sure you're alright, it looks terrible, why didn't you say anything?"

"It wasn't a huge deal."

"Well, I'll go get some bruise remover, sit down. You're sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine Mum," she replied as she sat down. "Everything's fine."


	7. Summer's End

Chapter 7

Summer's End

The summer was one of the worst Andromeda could ever remember being through. Now that Bellatrix was clearly no longer on her side, and Narcissa was too afraid to do anything, Andromeda felt more alone than ever. She felt alone during family conversations about how the 'mudbloods' needed to be controlled, and during the nights when her father came into her room.

The whole muggleborn conspiracy theory was starting to drive her as insane as her father himself. She had wanted to invite her friends over all summer, but Ted wouldn't survive five minutes in her house, and Andromeda knew that to be literal. Lately, Bellatrix had been threatening violence toward people, and had been throughout the last school year and all summer. After the first day of the holiday, Andromeda knew she wasn't kidding. If Ted Tonks dared come near the house, he was in danger from Bellatrix, and any of her friends that happened to be around. There was a group that seemed to be forming, that was threatening muggleborns everywhere. It was run by someone who called himself Lord Voldemort, but Andromeda couldn't bring herself to laugh at much these days.

She was grateful when two weeks before the holiday ended she received a letter from Molly asking her over. It came at an especially good time because the night before her father had come in again.

_She woke up to a strange feeling down by her legs. Her father was above her, feeling her at her breasts and crotch. She tried to move away, but his hands were too strong. One was over her face, blocking her mouth in case she tried to scream. This time he did something new, which frightened her more than she thought possible, particularly with what happened to Bellatrix. He put his finger inside of her, and fear spread through her body. She couldn't move anymore, her fear and anxiety paralyzed her. She wanted so badly to scream for help, but his hand was over her mouth, and she didn't want to think about what he would do if she tried. When he left, she realized she would have had no one to yell for. Her mother wouldn't believe her, Narcissa was too scared, and Bellatrix was angry with her._

All in all, Andromeda was grateful for being able to spend a night or two somewhere else. Plus, Arthur and Ted would be there and she could really use a laugh at this point.

The four of them spent the day at the Prewitts house outside. They ended up playing two aside Quidditch for a few hours before deciding they wanted to do something else. They walked down by the pond that was on the Prewitts property. The girls lay outside in the sun while the boys skipped rocks for a bit. They ate the sandwiches that Molly had made them.

"So, 'Dromeda, how has your summer been?" Ted asked as they ate. "I've barely heard from you at all."

"Oh, it's been pretty boring. Mostly did my homework and listened to my parents and Bellatrix talk trash about the world. Bellatrix has been in fine form this summer."

"Yeah, I've been listening to my brothers talk about some group that's forming. They say the group is trying to make pureblood wizards the supreme rulers of the world or something. Fabian and Gideon want to help stop it before it gets out of hand."

"You're lucky, my sister wants to be in the group more than anything she's ever wanted before. I think she's doing it to make my parents proud of her or something, she was never this insane before."

"'Dromeda , no offence, but I've always thought that your sister was insane." Ted said after a bite of his corn beef sandwich. Arthur laughed.

"She goes around calling everyone filthy Mudbloods if she doesn't recognize their last names." He chortled. "She likes to say her family's bloodline is the most important."

"She's called me one a fair few times," Ted said, slightly embarrassed.

Andromeda suddenly felt embarrassed on her own and on her sister's behalf.

"I apologize for my sister's behavior, she's been very off for a few years."

"I'll say." Arthur said.

"Look guys," Andromeda didn't know why she was about to defend her sister, "I know that she's horrible sometimes, but you really don't know about it. I'm sorry for anything she might do, but I feel like I need to give her a break once in awhile."

"Ok, sorry, Andromeda, you don't need to get upset." Molly said.

"Oh, I didn't mean to sound upset, it's just, our family's weird right now."

The four friends hung out for a bit by the pond. Then Molly excused herself for a moment. After the moment had passed, Arthur said he was going to find out where she had gone. Ted laughed.

"And then there were two." He said with a chuckle.

"You do know what's up right?" she giggled.

"I'd say they're playing the game, 'meet me in the previously designated area far away from my clueless family and supposedly clueless friends.'"

Andromeda laughed, for the first time in almost two months. She'd forgotten how good it felt.

"Wow," Ted commented.

"What?"

"I've barely seen you smile in forever. It's a nice change."

Andromeda stared at him.

"It's just, you seemed sad a lot during the past year. I know I haven't seen you all summer, but I kept wondering if you were alright, since I never heard from you."

"Oh, really, I've been fine. Just a lot on my mind, what with my sisters and all."

"Are you sure that's all it is?"

"Yes." She said it a little more sharply than she meant too.

"Sorry Ted, just under pressure really, O.W.L.s this year and everything."

"You're worried, why? Your really good, you get higher scores than half the Ravenclaws."

"Still, it's a bit nerve wrecking. Plus, my cousin Sirius starts this year and I'll have to keep an eye on him." Andromeda wasn't sure why she added that part as Sirius could take care of himself, but she just needed as many reasons as possible to keep him from discovering the real reason.

"Yeah, this year is going to be more stressful than usual."

"I don't know how I'm going to pass all nine exams."

"Well, you don't necessarily have to pass all nine. Just the ones for what you wanna go into."

Andromeda laughed, but this was a sarcastic, bitter laugh as opposed to the genuine one of five minutes previously.

"You've never met my family Ted, you don't know what they're like."

"I've heard you talk about them enough, I can guess," realizing how mean that sounded he said, "sorry, I mean…"

"Don't be, it's the truth. I'm supposed to pass all nine exams, even if I don't take all nine N.E.W.T.s, which no one ever does."

"That's a lot of pressure."

"Yeah."

They were silent for a few moments, then Ted broke the silence. He got up and said,

"I think we should probably go see where Molly and Arthur went." He stood up and offered her his hand. She accepted and he pulled her up from her lying down position. He pulled her up too hard though and she fell into his arms, which made them both laugh, until their eyes met. Ted leaned down and kissed Andromeda, which surprised her, but she was surprised to find that she liked it. It was different than what her father did, it was gentle, loving, sweet.

After a minute, they pulled apart and she stared at him. All of a sudden, Andromeda remembered her family and everything they said about people like Ted. Also, while she couldn't deny that she had liked kissing Ted, she wasn't sure she could handle it without flashing to her father every single time.

"Ted, I can't." She backed away from him, trying not to look at his hurt face.

"Andromeda…"

"I'm sorry Ted, I just, I can't." She walked away from him, not wanting him to see her cry.

Ted and Arthur went home an hour later, a very long and awkward hour later. Andromeda and Molly stayed up late in Molly's room that night talking, when the subject of the boys came up.

"Did something happen with you and Ted while Arthur and I were gone?"

Andromeda paused.

"No, why do you ask?" She lied.

"You were both very quiet when you met us and you were avoiding each other's eyes."

'Damn,' Andromeda thought.

"We weren't avoiding each other."

"Well, you were certainly a bit awkward."

"Nothing happened I swear." To throw her off Andromeda quickly added, "But speaking of stuff happening, what were you and Arthur doing when Ted and I left you alone?" She said grinning while her friend blushed.

"Nothing," Molly said too quickly.

"Same nothing I gave." Andromeda said it out loud without meaning too. Molly was the one grinning now.

"So, something did happen between you and Ted!" She exclaimed, very excited.

"And you and Arthur apparently."

"You go first, come on, I swear I won't tell."

Andromeda sighed.

"OK, we were talking, and he said we should go find you guys. He stood and helped me up since I was lying down. He pulled too hard and I fell into him, and then he kissed me."

Molly was delighted by this news.

"That's brilliant! What's the problem, I mean, I thought he might like you, but I wasn't sure. Do you not like him or something?"

"No, it's not that. It's, I guess I just don't want a boyfriend right now. Plus, my parents would freak."

"Why would they freak out?"

"Molly, you know why. It's a stupid and horrible reason but it's their reason and I don't want to make my family any more horrid toward me right now."

"Is it really that bad?" Molly asked, concerned.

"Yes, Bella will barely speak to me anymore, Cissy just keeps to herself, Mum's never home and when she is she doesn't pay attention unless she's snapping at you, and Dad…Dad's just an arsehole. Don't get me wrong, I do like Ted, I really like him, but I can't do it right now."

Molly just stared, so Andromeda decided to change the subject.

"So, what about you and Arthur?"

Thankfully, Molly took the hint and told Andromeda all about what had gone on between her and Arthur. Andromeda only half listened though as she thought about the handsome fair-haired boy and his lips on hers and how nice they had felt. She later fell asleep thinking about him.

_She and Ted Tonks were lying in the sun wearing swimming costumes. Ted leaned over toward her kissed her feverishly. She responded with equal enthusiasm. She felt so good, better than she could ever remember feeling. After a moment, the sun went behind the clouds and everything went dark. Andromeda looked over to where Ted had been but he was no longer there. Her father was there instead. Andromeda tried to get away but it was too late and he had hold of her. He started to pull her towards him, and started kissing her and feeling her body. It didn't feel nice like Ted's had and she started trying to pull away. She wanted so badly for him to leave her alone. He was suddenly on top of her and his hand was going between her legs…_

Andromeda woke up with a start and nearly fell out of bed. It took her a moment to remember that she was at Molly's house, where her father was not and she was safe from him for the night. She slowed her breathing and tried to fall back asleep. It took awhile for her to put the dream out of her mind, and it would reenter her mind when she woke up in the morning.

AN: sorry if some of you thought that the kissing scene was really cliché, I know it was.


	8. Two Crises for the Blacks

Chapter 8

Two Crises for the Blacks

A/N: Hey guys, I realized I made an error in the age differences of the characters. Sirius was originally three years younger than Narcissa, which in reality was probably true, but for the purposes of this story he is now only a year younger. I'll try to fix chapter 2 to change it but if I can't at least you know.

September 1st rolled around much slower than to any of the Black girls liking, or to Sirius, who would be starting his first year. The four Black children going to school boarded the train together, but immediately went their separate ways. Bellatrix stalked off with some of her friends, which included Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. Andromeda hated those boys, she knew all about them because Rodolphus was in the same year as Molly's brother Fabian and they hated each other.

Narcissa went off with some of her second year friends, sounding like they were going to spy on the older boys or something. Andromeda didn't even want to know what that was about. Sirius said goodbye quickly and found a compartment where a black-haired boy with glasses was sitting. Andromeda was left to herself and tried to find her friends. Andromeda was left to herself and tried to find her friends.

She found Ted Tonks sitting in a compartment near the end of the train. Molly and Arthur weren't there, which made her rather nervous. She wasn't sure if she could face him, but she knew she'd have too eventually. She took a deep breath and walked in. Ted looked up as she came in and have her a half smile.

"Hi."

"Hi," she responded. "Um, Arthur and Molly not here yet?"

"Prefect's compartment. They said they'd be back here later."

"Oh, okay," she paused. "So how was the rest of your summer?"

"Oh, pretty boring really. Nothing unusual happened. You?"

Nothing she could tell him about.

"Same, pretty boring."

Then came the awkward lull in the conversation. Neither could think of anything to say. Finally, Ted sighed.

"Look, 'Dromeda, I'm sorry about what happened at the pond…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Andromeda said quickly.

"Really, because you seemed upset afterwards."

"Not with you." She told him. "I just think it's too much for me to handle right now."

"Oh." Ted looked a bit sad, but also a bit relieved probably because she wasn't upset with him. "Okay, I understand."

She smiled and suddenly felt a lot more comfortable. He must have too because they started chatting about different things that would be going on that year. Molly and Arthur joined them in the late afternoon. Andromeda and Ted had fun teasing them about being prefects together.

Andromeda was forced to say goodbye to her friends when it came time for the sorting and the feast. Molly and Arthur had each other at the Gryffindor table, and while Ted didn't have them at the Hufflepuff table, he was clearly friendly with some of his housemates, whereas Andromeda had no one. She only had Bellatrix and Narcissa, neither of whom seemed to want to sit with her. Sighing to herself, she watched the new first years nervously walk down the Great Hall. Sirius looked excited. Andromeda caught his eye and waved. Maybe she could have him to talk too if he hadn't already made Slytherin friends. Andromeda suddenly groaned when she realized how pathetic she was. She had to depend on her eleven-year-old cousin for company during the feast!

While she was thinking this, she missed the first few names, but then she heard his.

"Black, Sirius."

Sirius stepped towards the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. After a few moments passed the hat shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius got up and started toward the Gryffindor table. As he sat down he looked for Andromeda. After the shock wore off, she realized this was a good thing for Sirius, to break the trend. He had done what she couldn't do. She grinned at him and gave him a thumb's up. He grinned and turned to watch the rest of the sorting.

Andromeda looked for her sisters and couldn't help but laugh. Cissy's mouth was open and she was clearly speechless. Bellatrix looked outraged, and as if she couldn't decide whether to kill Sirius or to pass out from shock.

Classes started the next day and Andromeda knew that this year would be more overwhelming than the previous. It was O.W.L. year after all. The teachers piled on a lot of homework on just the first day. The first month went by reasonably smoothly other than that. She had been enjoying herself with her friends and Sirius had loads of stories with his new best friend James Potter.

The first Hogsmeade weekend of the year was to be the first weekend in October. Andromeda didn't really feel like going though. Arthur and Molly would be going just with each other, and Ted wasn't going so she'd have no one to go with. She couldn't hang out with him though since he said he had to work on an essay for Magical Creatures class which she wasn't in. Plus, if she was completely honest with herself, it was still awkward to be with him by herself. She wasn't even a hundred percent sure why, since they talked on the train he'd left any romantic inclinations for her to himself. Still, it was uncomfortable. So, since she didn't want to stay in the common room or her dormitory the whole time she just wandered the corridors for awhile.

Andromeda was never fully aware of what made her want to walk up to the Astronomy Tower that day and she was never sure if she was glad she knew about what she saw up there. It was disturbing, and disgusting. She supposed she had just wanted a place she was sure would be private. But apparently it was too private.

She opened the door and saw her little sister and some fourth year entwined on the ground. They weren't naked, but it was close. Close enough to give Andromeda no confusion as to what was going on.

"CISSY!" She screamed. "What are you doing!?"

The two younger teens looked up at the intruder. Cissy became angry at the sight of her sister intruding on her and her new lover.

"MEDA! Get out! Now!" she snapped.

Andromeda just stared and then left for the stairs. She waited outside for them. She wasn't sure who the boy was, and she really didn't care, all she knew was that her twelve-year-old sister was having sex.

Narcissa came out a few minutes later, fully dressed. She attempted to walk past her older sister but that didn't quite work. Andromeda grabbed her long blond hair and then her shoulder and kept hold all the way down the stairs. She let the boy past, she figured it wasn't just his fault. She marched Narcissa down the stairs and into a deserted corridor.

"What do you think you're doing Cissy?!" Andromeda hissed.

"Mind your own business Andromeda!" Cissy struggled to get away from her sister but Andromeda held firm.

"You shouldn't be doing this Cissy, for Merlin's sake you're twelve years old!"

"So, just because you're a prude I have to be? You're fifteen and you've never even had a boyfriend." Narcissa taunted.

"Oh, so he's your boyfriend, not some guy you just decided to up and shag like some common whore!?"

"Ok fine, he's not my boyfriend, big deal. Sex doesn't have to be about relationships Meda, it's just fun you have with boys. Now get off me." Cissy angrily pushed Andromeda out of the way, and the shock of her last answer caused Andromeda not to go after. Cissy was so young, and had already started making stupid adult decisions for herself. Andromeda knew who was to blame for this, and there was no stopping it. Her father's attitude and actions had taught his youngest daughter that sex was meant to be secret, but casual too.

Andromeda brooded over Saturday's events for several days. It was all she could think about. Molly finally cornered her after Charms one day, suspicious because Andromeda had never before performed so badly in a Charms lesson before.

"What's going on Andromeda?"

"Nothing, why?" She answered too quickly.

"You've been in a daze all week. What happened, come on, tell me?"

Andromeda didn't have the strength to argue with her.

"I was wandering around Hogwarts on Saturday while you guys were gone and I walked up to the Astronomy Tower, and I found my sister having sex with some fourth year."

Molly stared for a moment.

"Bellatrix, having sex with a fourth year?"

"No, Molly. Narcissa, having sex with a fourth year."

Molly suddenly looked almost as disgusted a she was horrified.

"I thought Narcissa is like, twelve."

"She is twelve, won't even be thirteen until next August."

"Merlin, why would she..?"

"I don't know." Andromeda lied. "Merlin though, I walked out there and, Merlin's pants there they were going at it like rabbits in the spring."

"Well, you don't think he coerced her do you?"

"No, she was enjoying it too much." Andromeda said bluntly.

"That's horrible, she's so young."

"Yeah, so young."

'Unfortunately, she's not as young as she should be, neither am I.' Andromeda thought to herself, acknowledging it for the first time.


	9. Andromeda's Not So Sweet Sixteen

Chapter 9

Andromeda's Not So Sweet Sixteen

AN: Warning: This chapter is going to be a bit more graphic than the others.

Fifth year was almost three quarters over and the Easter holidays were approaching. Andromeda had actually been having a better year than usual, especially since for once she had been able to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas. Druella and Cygnus had decided to go on a holiday to Spain with Orion and Walburga, and had left the children behind. Regulus had been left with their Uncle Alphard. It was the best Christmas Andromeda, Bellatrix, and Narcissa had had since, well in five years.

However, because their parents hadn't seen them during the Christmas holidays, there were no excuses for staying over the Easter holidays. Even the upcoming exams, O.W.L.s for Andromeda and N.E.W.T.s for Bellatrix were not enough of an excuse. They had to go home to their parents, to their father.

This also meant Andromeda would be spending her sixteenth birthday at home, since her birthday happened to fall within the Easter holidays this year. She had hoped to spend her birthday with her friends, maybe sneaking off to Hogsmeade for a drink. Now, she was stuck with her father, mother, and sisters. After Andromeda had sworn she wouldn't say anything to anyone, Cissy had forgiven her for interrupting her with one of her lovers, but they still weren't on the best of terms. And Bella, forget it, she and Andromeda had barely spoken to each other for over six months. The sixteenth birthday was supposed to be one of the best, but Andromeda had a feeling it would end up being one of her worst.

Andromeda woke up on the morning of her birthday with a feeling of dread in her stomach. She wasn't sure why, because her father had actually not done much of anything to her all week.

She went downstairs in the morning and found only her mother and Narcissa in the dining room.

"Happy birthday darling!" Druella walked over to her daughter and hugged her.

"Thanks Mum," she smiled for once.

"Happy Birthday Meda," said Narcissa, genuinely. Andromeda was glad, maybe she was ready to be friends again.

Bellatrix came down for breakfast briefly. She wished Andromeda a Happy Birthday, but she wasn't going to be able to stay for the day. She would be going to visit Rodolphus Lestrange and some of her other friends. Andromeda didn't feel any particular way about this, it wasn't like Bella cared about much of anything anymore. All she cared about lately was embellishing on this ancient anti-muggleborn movement.

After breakfast, Andromeda went upstairs to find a bunch of owls delivering birthday cards and presents. She smiled as she opened the one from Ted. He wrote her a card that made her laugh harder than she had in a long time. When she opened her gift, she almost stopped breathing. It was a necklace, with the Andromeda constellation of stars attached to a silver chain.

_-This reminded me of you. I can't wait for the holidays to be over so we can hang out again, being alone with Molly and Arthur isn't fun when they're off snogging half the time. Happy Birthday,_

_-Ted._

Andromeda put the necklace on and put Ted's card inside the journal that Molly had gotten her.

The rest of the day was pleasant enough, until dinner. That was when Cygnus came home. He was quite cheerful throughout the meal, but Andromeda didn't really notice. She was too busy enjoying her new gifts. Her mother had given her a new cloak that was dark purple and velvet. She could hardly wait to wear it, it was so beautiful. By the time she went to bed, she had completely forgotten the feeling of dread she had woken up with.

She fell asleep around midnight, and was awoken two hours later. Her father was on top of her, but there was a hungry look in his eyes that frightened her more than anything else he had done to her so far. He leaned down and started biting her neck, all the while keeping a hand over her face. He reached down to pull his pants down, and Andromeda suddenly felt her nightgown being moved up her waist. She began trembling, which made it harder to struggle. She knew what he wanted, and she felt powerless to stop him. He was twice her size, and with his hand over her face, she couldn't scream for help.

Suddenly, pain like she had never felt before engulfed her as her father entered her. She stopped struggling partly out of fear, and partly because it was too hard for her to move. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced and it practically paralyzed her. Andromeda began crying in fear, and then in pain, when her father began thrusting her body and she started to feel as if something inside her was tearing.

It seemed to go on for hours until her father pulled out of her, leaving her on the bed. She felt herself bleeding but she was too afraid to move. She stayed there until the morning. When the sun rose, she got up and headed for the bathroom to shower. She got there just as Bellatrix was about to go in. Not in the mood for her, Andromeda sped up and pushed past her.

"Move Bella!" Andromeda pushed Bellatrix aside and quickly went into the bathroom and locked the door. She turned the shower on and let the water cleanse her as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. She began frantically clawing at herself as she tried to make herself feel clean.

Andromeda didn't know how long she'd been in there for when there was a knock on the door. Andromeda stilled, praying it wasn't her father behind the door. It was her mother.

"Andromeda," said Druella. "Darling, I have to get in there in a minute."

"Okay Mum." She got out of the shower and dried off quickly.

"Sorry darling, I forgot I would be meeting someone today."

"It's okay Mum, I was almost done anyway."

She walked back to her room and put a comfortable robe on. Then she lay on her bed, and noticed the time on the clock. It was nearly four hours from the time she had started taking a shower. Her mother had not noticed she had taken a four hour shower. Andromeda had been sarcastically amazed before, but now she was just angry. How could Druella not realize what was going on. Her father had…had…she could barely even think the word to herself…_raped_ her and her sister, and had been doing other things to them for years. Just then, Andromeda saw the nightgown she had worn the night before on the floor. She picked it up and saw the blood on it, and then she couldn't stand it anymore. She screamed, and started ripping the nightgown apart. She tore it to shreds, her screams eventually faded into sobs, and she collapsed on her bed.

"I heard you screaming that day, but I didn't know what I could do. We hadn't been getting along, and I didn't know how to talk to you about what happened." Narcissa admitted.

"You heard me? Did Mum or Bella?" Andromeda was curious, because no one had acted as if they had heard her back then.

"Mum didn't." Narcissa said, rather bitterly. "I think Bella might have though. She actually looked concerned for you at dinner that night."

"Really, so, she still did care at that time?"

"I guess so."

"Well, after what happened that night I don't know how I even got through my exams or the rest of the school year. My friends thought I was going crazy, and they were nearly right. Then summer came, and it all started again."

"I remember you actually doing well on your exams though."

"I did, I don't know how, but I did. Anyway, sixth year was when everything really started to change for me. That's when I fell for Ted."

Andromeda passed through the barrier and immediately went to find a compartment without bothering to wait for her sister or her mother. That's how she had been treating them since her birthday, with indifference. She eventually found an empty compartment in the middle of the train and sat down to wait for her friends. She didn't plan on going outside to say goodbye to her mother, but Narcissa found her.

"Meda, come say goodbye to Mother, she'll be upset if you don't."

Andromeda sighed.

"Coming," and under her breath she said, "She deserves to be upset."

Andromeda followed Narcissa down the train and out onto the platform where Druella was waiting for them. Druella hugged her daughters tightly, but Andromeda didn't really hug her back. She was too angry with her mother.

"Have a good term darling, I'll see you at Christmas."

"Bye Mother." She silently groaned at the thought of being back for Christmas.

The two sisters walked back to the train and separated back to their compartments. When Andromeda got back she found Ted in the compartment.

"Hi Ted, how'd you know I was in here?"

"Your cloak is pretty unique," he said with a grin that Andromeda couldn't help smiling at. It was strange, she had barely smiled once all summer, but Ted's grin had the ability to make her smile back.

"How was your summer Andromeda? I barely heard from you the whole time."

"It was boring, nothing unusual happened, although I think Bellatrix may get engaged soon."

"Really, that good or bad?"

"I haven't decided. I'd like her out of the house, but I don't really want Rodolphus Lestrange in my family. How was your summer?"

"Pretty good. I worked mostly, but I went to Italy with my cousins for a few weeks."

"Italy wow, I've never been, how was it?"

"It was fun, we went all over really. I wish I had had my apparition license so I could have gotten from Rome to Venice in seconds, but it was still really cool."

"I wish my family went on fun holidays like that. Anytime they want to travel they leave my sisters and I at home. I've always wanted to see Italy, and France, and Spain, and everywhere really."

What Andromeda really meant was that she wanted to be anywhere where her parents couldn't find her. And traveling would be a fun way to do it too.

Ted told her about his summer job working for a muggle restaurant, which she found quite interesting since she knew almost nothing about the muggle world. He told her stories about the annoying and the funny customers, some of the stuff that had happened with his co-workers, and she found herself laughing hysterically, which felt really good.

"Ok, so, there was this one guy I waited on, and he asked for a rare steak, and then he gave me instructions. He says 'Put the steak on the grill, then flip it, then take it off the grill,'"

"Wait, like immediately, how did the meat actually cook?"

"I don't know, but I brought it out to the guy and he ate it."

"That's so gross!"

"And I had to do this with a straight face."

At that moment, Molly and Arthur came in and Ted had to tell that horrible story all over again. Arthur especially wanted to know as much about muggle restaurants as he could. Ted retold most of his stories, but Andromeda found herself laughing even harder the second time around. She found herself watching Ted as he made everyone laughed and she couldn't stop staring at him.

She realized something she hadn't thought about for over a year. Despite everything that was happening in her life, and her families' views (and maybe partly because of them) Andromeda found herself falling for Ted Tonks.

AN: Ok, that scenario I told about the guy and the rare steak actually happened at my parent's restaurant once, I did not make it up. I hostess there so I hear and experience a lot of stories myself, but this one was just over the top weird. Sorry if any of you like your meat that rare, but when I eat red meat (which isn't often) it has to be at least medium well.


	10. Detention and Surprises

Chapter 10

Detention and Surprises

AN: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I was had a bad case of writer's block.

Also, I start school again on Monday, so I don't know how frequent updates will be. I'll try to make them once a week, but no promises.

Unfortunately, Andromeda had no time to act on her revelation about Ted Tonks. Despite the fact that she was only taking six classes instead of nine, she was overwhelmed with schoolwork. However, the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year was approaching fast, and Andromeda was hoping to get Ted alone if she could.

That opportunity did not present itself, which disappointed Andromeda greatly. The day the Hogsmeade weekend was scheduled Ted stayed in his dorm with the flu. Andromeda was tempted to offer to hang with him in his dorm, but chickened out at the thought of what everyone might say about the Slytherin girl spending all day alone in the Hufflepuff boy's room. She didn't need news like that reaching her sister, because then it would reach her parents and Andromeda seriously doubted she could handle that.

Thinking about her parents, combined with being confused over what to do about Ted, was putting her in an extremely bad mood. Potions class on Monday didn't help. She wasn't bad at Potions, but she certainly wasn't a natural at it. Consequently, despite many of her family's connections, she was not one of Slughorn's favorites students. Not that she really wanted to be a member of the Slug Club, but it was annoying to have him praise some of the others and not her when she knew her potion was better. It bugged her even more when he ignored Ted, who actually was an excellent Potion brewer, but Slughorn just usually passed over him. Andromeda knew it was because Ted was Muggleborn.

That day they were brewing extremely complicated antidotes and Andromeda was having trouble with the principles. When the class was nearly over, Andromeda had not yet completed the assignment when Slughorn passed her.

"Miss Black, what is this?"

"The assignment, Professor Slughorn," she couldn't help the slightly sarcastic tone her voice took on at that moment.

"This is rather poorly done," Slughorn seemed either annoyed or concerned but Andromeda really couldn't tell which one. She didn't really care either.

"I'm sorry Professor, I guess I got confused."

"Do you know what you did wrong?"

"No." 'Would you go bug someone else please?' she thought

"This really isn't your usual standard Miss Black,"

That did it. All the anger and frustration Andromeda had been feeling for almost every aspect of her life seemed to burst forth as she stood up and dumped her cauldron on the floor. The entire class, including Ted Tonks, stared at her as she stormed out of the classroom. Slughorn followed her.

"Miss Black, detention, my office, 7:00."

Andromeda kept walking, too upset to care about getting detention for the first time in her life.

The entirety of Hogwarts had heard the story by dinner. Andromeda ignored the people discussing whether one of the Blacks had finally earned themselves a place in the mental ward in St. Mungos. Sirius looked like he wanted to come over to the Slytherin table and question her, but thought better of it.

Something did manage to distract her from her upcoming detention and the circulating rumors. Narcissa approached her, clutching a letter.

"Meda?"

"What Cissy?"

"Letter from home. Bella's getting married."

"What?" She snatched the letter from Narcissa's hand and quickly skimmed it.

"Oh Merlin, she's marrying Rodolphus Lestrange! I hate that pig!" Andromeda gasped.

"I know, the weddings going to be over the Easter holidays."

"That means we have to go home this year I guess."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm staying over Christmas then, how about you?" Andromeda looked at her sister meaningfully.

"Yeah, probably."

Andromeda got to her detention on time and was surprised, but delighted to discover she had company. Ted Tonks was already in Slughorn's office.

"When did you get detention with Slughorn?"

"About three minutes after you did."

"What did you do?"

Ted looked slightly embarrassed.

"Come on, why?"

"Well, some of the guys started taking the mickey on you after you left class. I got annoyed and hexed them. Slughorn saw me do it and told me I'd be joining you tonight."

Andromeda stared at him, joyous feelings coursing through her veins.

"You didn't have to do that Ted."

"Well, I'm not really disappointed by the punishment." She laughed at that.

Slughorn entered at that moment.

"Well, you two will have the honor of cleaning out my classroom and relabeling and reorganizing my stockroom." He began showing them what they were supposed to do and left them to it.

Two hours later, they still weren't close to being finished, but they didn't mind. They caught up on each other's lives, as they hadn't been able to see each other much lately. Eventually, talk turned to what happened in class that morning.

"So Ted, what really made you hex those kids for taking the mickey on me?"

Ted looked even more embarrassed then before.

"Well, I knew that you didn't deserve it, and that you don't need to be put in the mental section of St. Mungos either." He didn't look at her as he said this.

"That's all?" Andromeda was quite skeptical about that. Ted looked up at her.

"OK, not really. The thing is, I know you must have had a reason for going off like that. I mean, I've seen it coming."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you haven't been yourself at all this year, and I could tell you were keeping something inside. I figured you'd have to let it go at some point."

Andromeda stared at him. How had he come so close to the truth?

"Wow, I guess you know me better than I thought you did."

"I know something's been making you sad. If you want…"

"I can't tell you Ted." She said too quickly. Ted looked surprised and a little hurt too. Andromeda suddenly felt bad.

"It's not that I don't trust you, I do, but it's not really my story to tell, it's kind of a family thing."

"Oh, okay, I was just offering."

"I appreciate it Ted," she smiled at him.

"I just hate seeing you so sad all the time. It, well, it makes me gloomy too."

Andromeda wasn't sure why she did it, and even twenty years later she wouldn't be able to describe it. As soon as Ted had said those words, she took his face and kissed him. He was surprised at first but then responded eagerly. They kept at it feverishly until they were rudely interrupted by Professor Slughorn coming in.

"Excuse me, what is going on here?"

Ted and Andromeda quickly broke apart and faced their rather angry teacher.

"I see that your not done with what I assigned, and because I can see why you will both have detention with me again. Though not together. Mr. Tonks you will report here at 7:00 tomorrow, Miss Black, you will be here 7:00 on Wednesday. Now, off to bed with you."

Ted and Andromeda quickly left the Potions store room and ran into a deserted corridor. There, they started laughing, but once they stopped they resumed their snogging session for several minutes.

"We better get back before we get even more separate detentions." Ted laughed.

"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight Ted, I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed him again and walked off.

"Goodnight Andromeda." Ted walked the other way.

As Andromeda began walking back to her common room, the joy she felt started to fade. Not because of Ted, because the corridors were pitch black, and lately she had been afraid of walking through dark corridors. After all, you never know who could be hiding in them.


	11. The Confession

Chapter 11

The Confession

Sixth year passed fairly normally except for…well, maybe it wasn't all that normal. In addition to her other secrets, Andromeda was now involved in a secret relationship with Ted Tonks. Even Molly and Arthur didn't know what was going on. Ted wasn't entirely happy about keeping it a secret at first, but he understood why after Andromeda told him about a letter she and Narcissa had received from Bellatrix.

"She said what?!"

"It was all about that Voldemort person. She seems to think that he has the answer to everything. She and Rodolphus went to this meeting or something and apparently he has all these ideas about purifying the race of wizards. It's like her and my father's ideas times a hundred or something. They've always been all talk, but now it's like their ideas may become actions."

"Wow, that's crazy."

"It's not just crazy Ted it's dangerous. You've seen my sister in action, you know what she's capable of doing. This is why…"

"Why we can't tell anyone." He finished for her. "I know. I still don't see why we have to keep it from our friends. It's not like they'd betray us."

"Of course they wouldn't. But then we'd probably be overheard and somehow word would get back to Narcissa and she'll tell either Bellatrix or my parents."

Ted looked at her oddly. Andromeda sighed.

"I know I'm probably being a little paranoid, I just don't want anyone to target you in particular if this whole anti-muggleborn thing turns out to be true."

Ted sighed, the leaned over and kissed her.

"I understand." He told her.

The weeks of secrecy passed quickly. At first, they had only met out by the lake or in the forest. Once they had dared a Hogsmeade weekend just the two of them, but Andromeda had later been confronted by Narcissa.

"What were you doing with that Mudblood?" she had asked angrily.

"Don't call him that Cissy!" Andromeda had snapped. "We were having a drink at the Three Broomsticks, what else?"

"You were alone with him."

"So? Molly and Arthur had gone off by themselves so Ted and I were alone." She lied. She often lied to Narcissa these days. Both sisters had lost a bit of respect for each other in the past few years. Gone was the bond the two had shared from fear of their sister and their father.

"You shouldn't be around him period. Father and Mother will go mad if they hear." Narcissa practically threatened, which made Andromeda angry.

"I have a feeling they'd go more mad if they knew what you were doing up in the Astronomy Tower with different boys every other night. Well, Mother would at least."

Narcissa went slightly pink at this.

"Bella would go mad if she knew." Narcissa was serious about this one.

"I really don't care about Bella anymore Cissy."

Now Narcissa was more calm and almost trying to reason with her sister.

"Meda, she's part of that group, that's calling themselves Death Eaters. She could come after him if she thinks you're going to taint the family name."

"I'm doing nothing of the sort." With that Andromeda went to find Ted to tell him the news of what she had heard. They couldn't be in public anymore.

Christmas holidays came around much too soon for Andromeda's liking. She had not been able to think of a good enough reason to stay at school, even though she had wanted to stay with Ted since his parents were going to the States to visit friends who Ted didn't really know. She had to go home, and once again face her father and her sister.

Things started to change Christmas night. It was dinnertime and the whole family, plus Rodolphus Lestrange was present. Andromeda sat between Sirius and Regulus to get away from her hated immediate family. The conversation somehow turned to this Lord Voldemort and his quest to purify the wizarding world. Bellatrix was gushing over this strange man so much that Andromeda was quite surprised that Rodolphus wasn't jealous.

Andromeda got sick of listening to the anti-muggleborn conversation very fast, particularly when her father started complaining about a new witch who'd just joined the office. She was a muggleborn girl who had beaten out a few purebloods and halfbloods for the position.

"I ask you, with all the purebloods waiting to take the position, why on earth would they give it to a Mudblood? Is purity of blood counting for less and less each day."

Rodolphus started to respond to Cygnus, but Andromeda beat him to it.

"Maybe she was just better than they were."

The entire table looked at her in shock.

"What did you say?" Aunt Walburga demanded.

"Maybe she was just better for the job. Maybe she had better credentials than they did." Andromeda said reasonably. They kept staring at her, then Rodolphus began laughing.

"A Mudblood, have better credentials then the member of a pureblood family?" He practically snorted. "Andromeda, your sister told me you were intelligent."

Andromeda glared at him while the rest of her family began laughing at her, with the exception of Sirius, Regulus, and surprisingly, Narcissa. Andromeda got up from the table and went upstairs to her bedroom. She sat on her bed seething, she didn't know how much longer she could stand being in this house, especially when she knew what would inevitably come.

The door to her room swung open, and Andromeda's heart practically stopped. Surely Cygnus hadn't left the table to do it now, had he? But it was her mother who entered, and she was not pleased.

"What do you have to say for yourself Andromeda?"

"Absolutely nothing," Andromeda practically spat. Why should she be polite to the woman who allowed her to be hurt by her father all the time?

"You insulted your father just now."

"I expressed an opinion, and then Rodolphus starts acting like I've never been educated."

"Well, with that opinion, I wonder if we have properly educated you. You can't possibly think that's true." Andromeda did not answer. "After all the family values we've taught you and you insult them right downstairs. Your father's family especially honors these values and you must not treat them with disrespect."

'Yeah, Dad has descent values alright, like having sex with his own daughters,' Andromeda thought bitterly to herself as her mother ranted.

"Well, you can stay up here until you are willing to be civilized to your father and your sister's fiancé." Much to Andromeda's relief, Druella left the room.

The break passed by as it usually did – horribly. It seemed that Cygnus had a schedule for what he would do to the girls now, for Andromeda noticed he came into her room every couple of days this break, unlike before when it would seem fairly random. Andromeda wondered if he was doing her one night, then Narcissa the next, then a break, for Bellatrix had gotten her own flat with a friend and no longer lived in the house full time. As much as Andromeda hated her sister sometimes, now she envied her for living elsewhere. Every night her father came in, she thought about how lucky Bellatrix was to be out. She would spend hours wondering how she could last another two years stuck here.

Two days before the end of the break was when everything in Andromeda's life was to change once again. The family was having dinner with Bellatrix and Rodolphus and discussing wedding details, when the subject of Voldemort came up again. They had been to another meeting with the other Death Eaters to discuss what to do about the 'Mudblood problem.' When they started talking about what seemed to be an extermination plan, Andromeda finally snapped. She stood up so fast she practically turned the table over. Everyone once again stared at her in shock.

"Do you even realize what you're bloody saying?!" she practically screamed.

"Andromeda…"

"No! Do you realize what you're talking about? You're saying you want to kill innocent people! For what, for being more talented then you despite their parentage? Parentage means nothing!" After declaring the ultimate insult to her family Andromeda sped up the stairs to her bedroom once more.

She never got a chance to cool off, as she heard pounding footsteps coming up the stairs. Her heart stopped. She knew those footsteps, she had known them and feared them for years.

When her father came into her room she had no time to react. He grabbed her by her dress quickly and threw her down onto her bed. Andromeda forgot her anger, she felt nothing but fear.

"If you're going to humiliate me, you should expect that I'll give it to you in return!" This frightened her more than anything else. He had never actually spoken to her while it was happening. Not once in the six years he'd been doing these things to her had he ever spoken to her.

"I don't know why I'm bothering with this." He said as he roughly thrust into her and she gasped in pain. "You probably like this don't you, you like it don't you, you little whore!"

Andromeda prayed that someone would come in but her prayers went unanswered, as deep down she knew they would. Her father viciously continued this for almost half an hour before he pulled out of her. He looked at her and said,

"They'll be wondering where I've gone off too." With that he left the room and his daughter gasping in pain and anguish on the bed. She stayed there for hours, no one came to see where she'd gone. Andromeda knew that Cygnus had told them he'd punished her for her behavior and no one was to let her out of her room.

Andromeda knew something else too. Something in her had snapped. She couldn't stay in this house any longer, she had to leave right away. And then it hit her, she only had one place she could go, and that was Hogwarts. She scribbled a note that said,

_Gone to Molly's house, will be leaving for school with her tomorrow._

_Meda._

She knew they would be angry with her, but she wouldn't have to see them until Bella's wedding and by then she could come up with an excuse.

Andromeda grabbed her belongings and crept downstairs to the fireplace and grabbed the Floo Powder. She Flooed into the Slytherin Common Room, where do to the late hour no students were. Andromeda didn't want to stay in that sad room though. She left the Slytherin Common Room and started wandering around Hogwarts, all the while going over all that had just happened to her.

Somewhere around the kitchen area everything suddenly seemed to catch up to her at once. And everything includes from the Christmas when she was just an innocent ten – year – old and her life had been completely changed. She remembered everything that had happened to her and she suddenly couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She sobbed and fell to the ground. She couldn't stop, everything came flooding from her at once. And then she heard the voice…

"'Dromeda? Is that you?" It was Ted, probably out for a late night snack from the kitchens out of restlessness. But Andromeda didn't care why he was there, all she knew was that she had never been more glad to see another person than she was right now.

Ted sank down to her level and she immediately threw herself into his arms and started sobbing even harder. Ted's arms enclosed her and he kept asking her worriedly,

"What happened? What's going on?" When she didn't answer, Ted resorted to trying to calm her enough to get her to be able to tell him. It took about fifteen minutes of holding her to him tightly and comforting her when her sobs started to subside.

"'Dromeda, what happened to you?" He kept asking her several times, needing to know what had caused her to become this hysterical. Suddenly, she was taking choking breaths, as if she was trying to say something.

Andromeda knew that she had to tell him, she couldn't handle this secret anymore. She had to let it out.

"I was raped." She whispered in a barely audible voice. Whatever Ted had expected it wasn't that. He stared down at his sobbing girlfriend in shock for a moment, and then, as he looked at her tear streaked face, he felt anger like he never had before. Someone had touched her, hurt her beyond measure. He felt like he wanted to kill the person responsible.

"Who was it!? Who did it?!" He demanded, before realizing his anger was scaring her more than she already was. He forced himself to stay calm.

"'Dromeda, who did this to you?"

She looked him in the eye and trembled, but she couldn't hold the words in.

"M-my, f-father." She said in the same tone as before.

Ted had never been more shocked by anything in his life, nor had he been more disgusted. What kind of parents did something that horrible to their own child? Andromeda started crying again, unable to say anymore about it, so Ted just held her in his arms until she fell asleep. Then, not wanting more trouble, he picked her up and brought her back to his own common room and laid her down on the couch. He conjured a pillow and a blanket and made her comfortable. He then grabbed a pillow and blanket for himself and settled down on the arm chair next to the sofa and waited for her to wake up.


	12. The Aftermath

Chapter 12

The Aftermath

Andromeda woke up feeling extremely warm and comfortable. She didn't want to open her eyes, she wanted to believe that she really was safe at that moment. But there was light shining near her eyes which made it hard to go back to sleep so she started to get up in spite of herself.

'Where am I?' She thought as she looked around. Just then, she saw Ted sleeping in a chair next to her, and the previous night came flooding back to her. Her fight with her family, her father, fleeing to Hogwarts, Ted finding her, her confession…oh no, he knew.

Ted stirred in his chair and opened his eyes. When he saw Andromeda was awake, he sat up straighter. She avoided his eyes.

"Hi, how are you feeling?" He asked, although he knew it was probably a stupid question.

Andromeda shrugged. She was too ashamed to look him in the face now that he knew her terrible secret. She just stared at the floor. Ted reached toward her and to his relief and her surprise she did not pull away. She looked at him cautiously, wishing she knew how to perform Legilimency so she would know what he was thinking.

"I've been better." She told him. He looked at her sadly, wondering what he should do for her. Then, he spoke the words she was afraid he would.

"Andromeda, maybe we should report this…"

"No." She said quickly, looking straight at him now. There was still fear in her eyes, but now for a different reason. "No Ted. I can't report it, it'll just make it worse."

"How could it get worse?" Ted was genuinely confused now. Why wouldn't Andromeda want to do what was necessary to get out of her house.

"Trust me, it could."

"If you don't tell it could get worse too. He could do it again, or do it to one of your sisters!" He tried to reason with her. Andromeda once again stared at the floor.

"He already does Ted. He already does." She said trying not to start crying again. Ted was once again shocked. When she had told him, he had thought this was something that had happened once. Now, that didn't seem likely.

"'Dromeda, what's been going on? Was this the first time he ever did this to you?"

"No." She said with her voice breaking. "He's been doing stuff since I was ten."

_'Ten!'_ Thought Ted, horrified once again. Although part of him didn't want to hear anymore, he realized he needed to know, and more so that she needed to tell someone or she'd break. He was about to ask her another question, when she began to tell him without his help.

"It was Christmas Eve, the year before we came here. We were having a Christmas party with my family and around nine o'clock my mother made me, my sisters and my cousins all go to bed. Because of all the guests, Bellatrix, Narcissa, and I all had to sleep in Bella's room. Sometime during the night I woke up because I thought I heard a strange noise. And I saw Dad on top of Bella, and he was…he was molesting her." She gasped the word out because she had never spoken it aloud before. Ted was about to ask, when she continued,

"She looked so scared of him, and I was so shocked that I gasped, which made him stop with her, but then he came over to me. I was so scared I couldn't move and he started doing it to me. Before he did, he said that it was meant to be fun." She angrily spat the last part out and started crying softly again. Ted wasn't sure what to do so he embraced her again. After a few minutes she pulled away from him and continued her story. She wasn't sure why she was telling him so much, since she hated reliving it almost as much as she hated it happening in the first place. But, she also felt relief coursing through her as well, and she knew when she was done she would feel better.

She told him everything, that it was the real reason Bellatrix had become so cruel, how she had found Narcissa having sex at twelve, the time she saw Bellatrix being raped, the first time she was raped, everything she could remember. When she was finished telling him about the previous night and how she had ended up back at school, she felt exhausted, and like she was going to cry again. But she also felt a sort of peace that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Ted just stared at her when she was finished, dumbfounded by her story. He couldn't imagine living through all that, especially at the hand of someone who was supposed to love you and take care of you.

"Ted?" She called to him.

"Yeah?"

"You can't tell anyone I told you this." Ted sighed.

"'Dromeda, if we don't tell, you'll have to go back." He reasoned.

"I know Ted, but I can't tell. I promised."

"Who the hell did you promise, him?" He wasn't angry with her, just frustrated. Why would she care about breaking a promise to the man that had hurt her so badly?

"No," she said, "Bella and Cissy. Bellatrix made Cissy and I promise never to tell anyone. Cissy doesn't want anyone to know anyway so I feel like I'd be betraying them if I tell."

"But you wouldn't be, you'd be doing them a favor, especially Narcissa. I mean, I know Bellatrix is getting married soon, but Narcissa's still got quite a few years left at home."

"Ted," she insisted, "I understand what you are saying but I can't tell anyone else. My sisters and I agreed, no one would believe us if we did. They'd chalk it up to us imagining it, or lying or worse. Cygnus Black is an upstanding and respected pureblood. He has a lot of influence, if I told anyone it would make everything worse then it already was. Add that to the fact that my sisters would probably deny it all anyways. Please Ted, don't say a word, I'm begging you." She really was begging him, he could see that.

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "But I don't think you should go back to him."

"I have to Ted, at least for this year."

"But…"

"Ted, I have to, I have no choice." Her voice was dead as she said these last words, and Ted hated how hopeless she looked. Andromeda really didn't see anyway out for at least six months. But, he couldn't change her mind, he knew that she wouldn't budge. He checked his watch, it was nearly noon.

"Want something to eat?" She smiled at him, grateful for the change in topic.

"Yeah, I am kind of hungry."

"Bindy!" Ted called suddenly. Andromeda looked at him strangely, until a House Elf appeared.

"Hello Mr. Tonks, what is you needing?"

"Can you get us some food from the kitchen? Sandwiches or something?"

"Certainly." The House Elf disapparated. Andromeda looked at Ted in astonishment.

"You're on a master-servant basis with the Hogwarts House Elves?"

"Not really, I just go down to the kitchens a lot to get food and Bindy took a liking to me and likes to get me food directly sometimes."

A minute later Bindy returned with some food and Ted and Andromeda began to comfortably eat their lunch. They found themselves tired afterwards and began to fall asleep on the couch together.

Several hours later found Ted and Andromeda sitting at their separate tables in the Great Hall. The students who had gone home for Christmas break were just arriving now, and Andromeda saw Narcissa coming up to her with a strange look on her face.

"Where did you go Meda?" she asked.

"I left Mum and Dad a note."

"You weren't at King's Cross, or on the train. Molly said she hadn't seen you. Mum and Dad are furious."

At that moment Andromeda saw Molly looking at her with an apologetic look. She mouthed,

"I'm sorry."

Andromeda nodded in understanding. She should have warned Molly, but she had been too distraught to think straight.

"I don't care what Mum and Dad think. It's not like I was doing anything wrong." '_Except telling Ted everything.' _She thought to herself, feeling slightly guilty, although she wasn't sure why.

"Where did you go?"

"I came back here alright?" She snapped.

"Just so you know, Mum and Dad are going to give you shit at Bella's wedding."

"I deal with that when the time comes." With that, Andromeda ended the conversation.

After dinner, Ted discreetly caught up with her. Andromeda looked around quickly to make sure Narcissa wouldn't see or hear.

"What did your sister say?" He asked worriedly.

"Just that Mum and Dad are angry with me, and that I'll be in trouble the next time I come home."

"But, doesn't in trouble mean…"

"Ted, it happens whether or not he's angry at me." She said quickly, desperate for the conversation not to turn down that road, since Molly and Arthur were approaching them.

"Andromeda, I'm so sorry!" Molly said when she approached.

"It's okay Molly, I should have warned you that I told them I was with you, don't worry about it."

"Why did you leave? Where did you go?"

"I came back here a bit early. I left because I was just sick and tired of dealing with them. I needed to get away." She replied, not looking at Ted.

"You could have really come to my house, my parents wouldn't have minded."

"I know, I just felt like coming back here." What she was really thinking was, 'Your parents would have asked questions that I wasn't in a fit state to answer.'

With that the four friends bade goodnight and headed off to bed.

Classes started the next day and went by as they usually do. Months passed and Andromeda and Ted did not discuss what she had told him. Ted had tried to get her to go for help or to at least talk about it for a few weeks, but gave up after she hexed him out of annoyance. He knew that her keeping it between them wasn't helping, but he didn't know how to convince her otherwise.

The Easter holidays, coupled with Bellatrix's wedding were approaching. Andromeda tried not to show it, but Ted knew she was dreading it. The idea of letting her go back for the holiday, coupled with the fact that he could never be alone with her unless it was somewhere secret, was grating on his nerves. Now that he knew exactly why she feared her family made him even angrier when she insisted that for now she had to see him in secret.

The day before she was supposed to leave, they were sitting on the edge of the forest cuddling, when Ted could not stop himself from bringing the subject up.

"Maybe you shouldn't go home for Easter." Andromeda looked up at him sadly.

"You know I don't want to. If it weren't for Bella's wedding I wouldn't. But there's no way I can get out of it."

"Still…"

"I can't Ted."

"Why do you keep saying that you can't? You can, you're choosing not to and I don't get why." Andromeda stared at him. "'Dromeda, why do you keep doing his bidding? Why do you even care what he thinks, when all he does is hurt you?!"

Andromeda didn't answer for a moment.

"Ted, as much as I hate him, he is my father. He controls my life, at least for another year or so."

"He doesn't have too though," Ted insisted. "You could leave home."

"Ted, stop. Okay, you don't know Cygnus Black. He would hunt me down if I left and do something far worse to me than he already has."

"'Dromeda, what could he possibly do that's worse?"

"I don't know Ted, all I know is that I asked that same question once. The next night, he came in and raped me." With that, she stood up and he followed suit.

"I can't leave Ted, please believe me."

"Look 'Dromeda, I know that this whole situation sucks beyond measure, but eventually you will have to decide how you want to spend your life. Do you want to be happy, or do you want to always be at his mercy, like your sister?"

Ted Tonks began walking back toward the castle, while Andromeda stayed by the edge of the forest, pondering what he had just said.

The next day she didn't have a chance to talk to him, as she had to catch the carriages to the train station. However, she caught his eye on the way down and when he waved to her, she could see the combination of sadness and worry in his eyes. He was scared for her.


	13. The Wedding and The Fight

Chapter 13

The Wedding and the Fight

The hours before Bellatrix's wedding were torture for Andromeda. She knew that she was going to be in trouble later, but her mother did not have time to scream at her with trying to get Bella ready to walk down the aisle.

"Bella, you look so beautiful!" Narcissa breathed as Bellatrix came out in her white gown.

"Yeah, you look great," Andromeda said half-heartedly.

"Oh darling, you look wonderful," Druella was teary eyed as she hugged her eldest daughter.

Although they hadn't gotten along in years, Andromeda suddenly felt worried for her older sister. She didn't seem happy about her wedding day, which didn't seem right to Andromeda. Weren't brides supposed to be excited and nervous on their wedding day? Druella left the room to check on something, leaving the three sisters in the dressing room.

"Aren't you excited Bella?" Narcissa asked. Bellatrix shrugged.

"I suppose."

"You want to get married don't you Bella?" Andromeda asked.

"Sure. Rodolphus is a good man, and the marriage will be a good alliance between pureblooded families."

Andromeda was surprised by this answer. She had wondered whether Bellatrix really loved Rodolphus, but she hadn't thought that the reason Bella would marry him was to form an alliance between pureblood families. That was the last reason Andromeda would ever get married. Cissy looked like she shared Andromeda's sentiments, but didn't bother to voice her opinion. Andromeda didn't have a chance to comment, because at that moment their mother came back in to tell them everyone was waiting.

The ceremony was nice, but Andromeda couldn't really concentrate. All she could think about was Bellatrix's answer, and she wondered whether her sister was just taking desperate measures to get away from their parents. Andromeda couldn't blame her, but she thought it was a pretty bad reason to get married.

During the reception Andromeda and Narcissa hung toward the back for awhile.

"Meda, do you think she loves him?"

"No, I don't Cissy."

"Why would she marry him then?" Narcissa wondered out loud.

"There could be many reasons I guess."

At that moment, Sirius came over to them, followed by a boy named Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa grinned when Lucius asked her to dance and suddenly Andromeda and Sirius were alone in the back.

"I heard your parents and mine talking about how great this arrangement was."

"They like having a Lestrange in the family I guess." Andromeda commented.

"Yeah, almost too much. They keep talking about how it's necessary to make sure we all marry with the same consciousness that Bella did."

"They're such idiots, like I would ever want to marry anyone they like."

"Yeah, idiots."

Several hours later, the reception ended and Bellatrix and Rodolphus left for their honeymoon. The rest of the Black family returned to the house and Andromeda knew the blow-up was coming.

"Andromeda, what were you thinking, leaving the house in the middle of the night like that!?" Druella screamed at her second daughter after Narcissa had gone upstairs. Cygnus said nothing, he let his wife yell at their daughter, but he had a gleam in his eyes that Andromeda knew only too well.

"I just…"

"You didn't go to Molly's! I found her at the train station and she knew nothing about it. Then Narcissa tells me that you were already at Hogwarts when she got there!"

Andromeda said nothing, she wasn't going to admit to anything she didn't have too.

"Why did you run off like that, do you know how worried about you we were?! You've been getting into very questionable business. First, the way you treated your sister's fiancé, then the running away, not to mention what I hear from your sister about you and some Mudblood!"

"Ted's a friend Mother, I don't know why it's such a big deal!" Andromeda spoke at last, lying through her teeth.

"Everything this family stands for involves keeping the bloodline completely pure. If one of our family was fornicating with Mudbloods…"

"I'm not 'fornicating' with Ted Tonks!" Andromeda yelled outraged. "He's my friend!"

"That's just how it starts." Cygnus entered the conversation for the first time. "You'll end up sacrificing every bit of family honor you possess."

Andromeda actually bit her tongue to stop the thousands of retorts threatening to leave her mouth. The fact that he dared talk to her about family honor after everything that had happened…well, she could have willingly cast the Cruciatus Curse on him.

"Honor," she said carefully. "Ted Tonks is a more honorable man then you or any other man in this family, will ever be."

Ignoring the stunned looks on their faces, Andromeda ran upstairs to her room.

The rest of the holiday was torture for Andromeda. Her father raped her every few nights, and she knew that he was doing things to Narcissa as well. Despite the fact that the two girls had been on edge with each other for several years now, Narcissa had been seeking Andromeda's company for most of the break. Andromeda found herself enjoying Narcissa's company and was rather sad to know that it would probably end when they went back to school.

Two days before the holiday ended, Andromeda found herself thinking about her and Ted's last conversation. He had said something to her that she had never really thought about before – choosing how to live her life. Having control of her life was a long lost concept that she had forgotten about. Ted had reintroduced her to it and it was taking over any resolve she had. She knew she wanted it, she wanted to feel in control of her life again.

That night, her father came in again, like he had been doing the entire holiday. When he was gone, Andromeda had made her decision. She would not keep living like this. She pulled out a piece of parchment and scribbled a quick note to Ted:

I choose you 

She found her owl and sent him off with her note to Ted.

When she got back to Hogwarts the next day, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest. She walked into the Entrance Hall and found Ted waiting for her. Andromeda quickly left Narcissa and walked right up to Ted and kissed him publicly. He was rather shocked, but started kissing her back. They were oblivious to everything else until the whistling started around them. They pulled back from each other and looked around. Andromeda saw Molly and Arthur nearby, Molly beaming, and Arthur looking rather dumbstruck. She looked around and saw her sister looking at her in shock, and trying to hide her disgust. Andromeda shook her head at her sister and looked back at Ted. He looked down at her joyfully and kissed her again.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"Yeah, let's."

They walked back outside towards the lake for some peace and quiet, so they could talk.

"So, are you okay?"

"I think I'll be okay now." Andromeda said honestly as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"And this summer?"

"I'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, let's just enjoy the time we have."

"That's a good idea."

AN: I know it's really short, but I didn't want it to be too long. The next chapter will be a lot more exciting, I promise.


	14. Consequences and Meetings

Chapter 14

Consequences and Meetings

The romance between Andromeda Black and Ted Tonks was all the students of Hogwarts talked about for days on end. Needless to say, the news reached Narcissa very quickly and she was livid. She spent days trying to convince her sister to dump Ted, and resorted to threatening to tell their parents.

"Meda, I mean it! I'll tell Mum and Dad that you're a blood traitor if you don't dump him now."

"Cissy, I'm not dumping Ted alright. Mum and Dad will have to get over it." Andromeda snapped after three days of being yelled at.

"I'll tell Bella!"

"Then tell Bella. Go on, tell them Cissy. I'm not ashamed of it, they're the ones who should be ashamed."

The two sisters just stared at each other for a few moments.

"Go on Cissy. Tell them, all of them. Tell them Andromeda Black is with a muggleborn."

With a final glare, Narcissa turned her back on Andromeda and walked away, probably to write those letters. Andromeda guessed she'd be getting a Howler in a few days time, but she didn't care anymore.

"You probably shouldn't have done that." Andromeda turned to see Ted standing behind her.

"I don't care anymore. I don't want to hide us anymore." She reached up and kissed him. He grinned, and they set off to meet Molly and Arthur by the lake.

"What did your sister want Andromeda?" Molly asked.

"To have me thrown from the Astronomy Tower most likely, but resorted to threatening to write Mum and Dad. She's probably at it right now."

"So, you think you'll be getting a Howler?"

"Wouldn't surprise me, but whatever. They're the ones who will look stupid not me."

"What about summer holidays?" Ted asked, worried.

"I'll worry about it when the time comes. For now, I'm enjoying this." She said as she stretched out on the sand, feeling truly free for the first time in a long time.

Oddly enough, Andromeda didn't get a Howler the next day, or even a week after Narcissa had threatened to write home. Andromeda was confused, because she was pretty sure Narcissa had not been bluffing. But, she wasn't complaining, Howlers were embarrassing at all times, but with this particular subject matter it would be down right humiliating. Sixth year exams were soon upon them, and then the summer holidays approached. Andromeda was nervous for all the normal reasons, but she hadn't spoken with Narcissa much since the threats, so Andromeda still didn't know whether her parents had heard about her and Ted Tonks.

The train ride home was cozy. Since Arthur and Molly both had prefect duties for most of the ride, Andromeda and Ted were able to enjoy some last moments alone together before she had to go back to hell. She knew Ted didn't want to let her go back to her house, as was evident by how close he held her as they were cuddling.

"If it gets really bad, just write me, I'll come get you."

"That's sweet Ted, but they'd probably try to kill you." Andromeda said sadly.

"I don't care about me, I just don't want _him _to hurt you anymore." He declared. "I love you."

She looked up at him and kissed him lightly.

"I love you too Ted. That's why I don't want you in a position where either my father or my sister will harm _you._"

He looked at her, and they made a silent agreement. The rest of the journey was quiet.

When they finally got to King's Cross Station, Andromeda saw Narcissa walk straight up to Cygnus and Druella and started to whisper to them. And that's when Andromeda knew: Cissy had not told their parents about Ted after Easter, she'd decided to wait until she could show them that Andromeda had betrayed the family.

Narcissa pointed and Cygnus and Druella just stared at their second daughter in shock as she grasped hands with a muggleborn. Andromeda just stared back at them, unblinking. Ted whispered,

"Is that them?"

"Oh yeah, that's them."

Andromeda thought about kissing Ted just to shock her parents more, but decided that wasn't a good idea, and just walked purposefully toward them. Her mother didn't move to embrace her like she usually did. They all just started walking towards the exit.

As soon as they got back to the house, the bomb dropped.

"What were you thinking Andromeda Lucretia Black!" Druella screeched.

Andromeda chose not to dignify that with a response. Her father spoke next.

"How dare you attempt to sully the name of Black by, by, mating with a Mudblood?!" He sputtered.

"Don't call him that!"

"That's what he is Andromeda!" He yelled. "You are rejecting your families' honor!"

That's when Andromeda nearly lost it.

"Honor! Honor! You think it's honorable to talk trash about people you know nothing about? It's honorable to think about trying to kill off hundreds of people for so called purity! Nothing you think or do is honorable _Father!_" She spat the last word out with disgust, but her feeling of somewhat triumph was terminated when her mother smacked her face. It stung, but not so much physically. She looked at her mother in shock, and willed herself not to give way to tears.

"Now," Druella said icily. "You are never to see that boy again, do you understand. You will start upholding this families' value of purity. And you will take back the ugly words you just said about your father."

Cygnus and Druella waited for Andromeda to submit to their will as usual, but something suddenly changed in her. She was not going to let them be in control anymore, she was of age and she was going to control her own life.

"No." She said calmly and coldly.

"What?" Druella said just as coldly.

"I am seventeen years old. I am an adult. I will continue to see Ted whether you like it or not. I will not uphold values I don't believe in and I will not apologize for speaking the truth."

They stared at her for a moment, looking like they were struggling with something.

"Your decision is final?" Cygnus asked.

"Absolutely."

"Then you can't stay here anymore." Druella said.

Andromeda stared, not sure if she was surprised or not. However, it hurt, although probably not as much as it should have.

"Then I'll be gone in an hour." She went upstairs to pack her stuff.

There was a knock on her door, and Narcissa entered, looking pained.

"Meda, I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't think they'd do that."

"It's not your fault Cissy." Andromeda sighed. "Honestly, I don't think I would have lasted much longer here."

"But where will you go?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll figure it out. I'll see you in school Cissy."

With that, Andromeda shrunk all her stuff so it would be easier to transport and started down the stairs and out the door. When she reached the gate, she looked back and saw Narcissa standing in the doorway, looking sad and a little frightened. Andromeda felt a little guilty, but not enough to go back. She waved, and then walked outside the Black property for the last time.

About five minutes later, reality began to take over her feelings of freedom. She knew where she could go – Ted would insist she stay with him anyway. The problem was, she wasn't sure of his address. You didn't need it to owl someone, and she didn't have an owl with her. She had passed her Apparition test but wasn't sure if she could apparate to his house without knowing what it looked like.

But wait, she knew he lived in Bath, and she'd been there before. She decided to give it a try. Two seconds later she was in the pretty city of Bath, but she still didn't know how she could reach Ted. She saw one of those weird telephone things that you had to stick coins in, but she had no muggle money nor did she know how to use one. But, there was one of those books in there that listed phone numbers and addresses, which Ted had once told her how to use when explaining the muggle world.

She looked in it, remembering the white pages listed home numbers (this is how it is in the U.S, I'm not sure about England) by last name. She looked up Tonks, and was thankful there was only one listing. Tonks, Jeffrey, Catherine and Ted, 12 Eden Terrace, Bath. She started walking around, cursing herself for not planning better before setting out. There was nothing for it, she would have to ask someone. She decided on a middle aged woman coming out of a café, that seemed safe enough.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Could you tell me where Eden Terrace. is?"

"It's rather far dear, I'd recommend getting a taxi." Andromeda struggled not to look confused.

"I don't have any money." Andromeda said.

"Well, a nice girl like you shouldn't be walking around by herself, especially as it's getting dark. My husband and I could give you a lift if you'd like, we're going down that way."

Andromeda was sure this woman was a gift from someone, she just wasn't sure who.

"Thank you, that would be lovely."

The couple drove her down to Eden Terrace, a good twenty-minute drive from where she had been. Andromeda had to struggle not to appear fascinated by the car as she'd never ridden in one before, but the couple didn't seem to notice.

"What number are you looking for dear?"

"Number 12, please."

A minute later they pulled up beside number 12. Andromeda thanked the kind people profusely while getting out and walking toward the door. She hoped Ted would answer the door, because she had never met his parents before and didn't feel like awkward introductions right now. Her wish came to when Ted opened the door.

"'Dromeda, what…" But he was cut off as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He held her for a minute, then pulled away and asked her,

"'Dromeda, what happened? Did he do something? Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm not hurt. But…they kicked me out."

Ted stared for a moment, then decided not to push it. He opened the door wider and let her inside.

"Ted dear, who is it?" Asked a fair haired woman who came into the foyer at that moment. Andromeda immediately realized from whom he'd gotten his fair hair and eyes.

"Mum, this is Andromeda Black, my girlfriend." Ted introduced. Mrs. Tonks looked surprised, but was friendly anyway.

"Oh, well, hello dear. Ted, you didn't tell me she was coming."

"He didn't know." Andromeda answered for him. "I didn't even know myself until an hour ago."

"Well, okay, you're welcome to stay for dinner."

"She'll be staying for more than just dinner Mum." Andromeda and Mrs. Tonks both looked at him, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"She needs a place to stay for awhile. I figured she could take the spare room."

"Ted, I don't know…"

"Could I talk to you in the sitting room Mum?" Ted quickly dragged his mother into the sitting room, leaving Andromeda in the foyer. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop but she felt she needed to hear this, so she moved a bit closer to the sitting room.

"Look, Mum, her parents made her leave, and she has nowhere to go, so I want her to stay here."

"Ted, darling…"

"Mum please, I know this is sudden and shocking, but I can't turn my back on her."

"Look, she seems like a very nice girl, but doesn't she have any other friends she could stay with?"

"Probably, but I want her to stay here."

"Ted, I'm not comfortable with this and I doubt your father will be either. We don't know her and…"

"Mum, she got kicked out of her house because she was seeing me. I feel like I should give her a place to stay for awhile." Mrs. Tonks was silent for a few seconds.

"Because of you, she told you that."

"She didn't tell me, but I know that's why. Please Mum, I can't tell her she has to find somewhere else to go."

Mrs. Tonks spent a few minutes deliberating.

"She can stay for a few days, and we'll see how it goes. But Ted, I don't want to find…"

"Trust me mum, you won't." Ted said quickly, and Andromeda flushed with embarrassment, glad she wasn't in the room. She quickly backed up when Ted and his mother came back to the foyer.

"You can stay for a few days for now Andromeda." Mrs. Tonks said with a nervous smile.

"Thank you so much."

"I would like to understand why this whole thing happened though."

Andromeda and Ted looked at each other. Andromeda said,

"I suppose I can tell you a bit about it."

"Later though. Let's leave it until after dinner so you can meet Dad first." Ted put in. Mrs. Tonks and Andromeda accepted this and they all went into the sitting room to wait.

Ted's father Jeff was a rather large man and very cheerful. Dinner was an enjoyable affair, Andromeda could never remember enjoying a meal more. However, towards the end, the question came up.

"Andromeda, what exactly is the reason your family made you leave? Ted said it was because of him?" Catherine asked.

Andromeda took a deep breath, and began explaining her families' crazy views about blood purity. The Tonkses listened intently, but they were definitely confused, especially when Andromeda couldn't explain exactly why her family believed that, they just did. Catherine seemed much warmer to Andromeda after that, probably because this girl had basically just told her that she had chosen her son over her own family.

Catherine showed her the guest room later and told her she was welcome to whatever soaps and shampoos were in the bathroom. She did do something that Andromeda found rather embarrassing. She over heard Catherine say to Ted later that night,

"Ted, I better not hear of any late night visits to her room, or her to yours."

"For god sake mum." Ted said exasperated as he headed to bed.

Andromeda fell asleep quickly that night due to exhaustion. She was sure she was in for a much better summer than the previous ones, provided she and Ted could persuade Catherine and Jeff to let her stay that long.


	15. Epilogue

Chapter 15

Epilogue

AN: okay guys, this is the last chapter. I thought there would be one more, but then I realized that the epilogue part fit in better this way, since this chapter would have been way to short without it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are awesome! I don't think I told you that enough.

This summer was turning into the best one Andromeda Black had ever had. She and Ted had managed to persuade his parents to just let her stay for the whole summer. Andromeda had started to feel like part of the Tonks family and despite the rocky start, she and Catherine got along great and she was now on a first name basis with both of Ted's parents. Best of all, she could see Molly and Arthur throughout the summer, and she didn't feel anywhere near as lonely as she had during the previous ones.

When their Hogwarts letters came, Andromeda actually felt rather sad that the summer was coming to an end, something she'd never felt before. Ted on the other hand, seemed rather excited when he realized he'd finally be able to ride on of the Gringotts carts to the Black family vault. Catherine had looked a little freaked out when Andromeda had described it, but Jeff had said it sounded like a roller coaster ride, which had led to Andromeda learning about the muggle amusement parks. She thought they sounded like fun and Ted promised to take her to one eventually.

They went to Diagon Alley about a week before term was due to start. Ted had gotten used to the trip to Diagon Alley by now, but his parents were clearly still enthralled by everything. They headed up the marble stone steps to Gringotts and headed to the gobbling teller. After Ted exchanged muggle money, Andromeda told the goblin,

"I need to make a withdrawl from the Black family vault, #822. High security vault."

The goblin looked through the book, then down at her.

"Name?"

"Andromeda Black."

"That name is not on the list anymore. I'm afraid you are no longer able to access the vault."

Andromeda stared, shocked. She knew they no longer wanted her in the house, but to no longer be allowed access to the family money meant…meant that she had also been burned off the family tapestry.

"Surely there's been a mistake."

"No mistake, miss, your name is no longer on that list."

Andromeda turned to the Tonkses, who were looking at her with shock and pity.

"I guess they've completely disowned me now." She said quietly. "I don't know what I'm going to do about it though, I only have so much money left on me." She fretted.

"You could take some of this, if it's just for school supplies," Ted offered, but Andromeda felt guilty.

"I don't know…"

"You can't go the whole year without being able to buy your books. Take it please."

She gave him a small smile of thanks.

"Okay, thank you."

A moment later they turned to leave when Ted suddenly stopped.

"Is that who I think it is?"

Andromeda, Catherine, and Jeff looked to where he was looking and Andromeda felt her heart skip a beat. Her parents and Narcissa were walking up the steps into Gringotts. She felt her heart racing, wondering what they would do, if they would even bother acknowledging her or not.

"Yes, that's them."

Catherine and Jeff looked intrigued, and almost like they wanted to say something, but Ted stopped them with a look. Cygnus, Druella, and Narcissa walked up to the goblin that Andromeda and Ted had just walked away from. Druella didn't look at her daughter as she passed, Cygnus saw her and quickly looked away. Narcissa looked at her though. The sister's caught each others' eyes and Andromeda saw the haunting and sadness in Narcissa's eyes and she knew. Cygnus (she would never again call him father) had raped his youngest daughter now that the middle one was no longer there to do it too. She wanted to say something to Cissy, but when she opened her mouth Cissy looked away.

Andromeda and the Tonkses remained where they were as the three Blacks were led toward their vault. As she walked by, Narcissa caught her sister's eye one more time, but then walked sadly away. Andromeda knew that during this coming school year, she would not have any family at Hogwarts, unless Sirius wanted to be a rebel again.

Ted tapped her on the shoulder and brought her out of her trance. She looked at him and gave a small smile.

"Ready to get our stuff?"

"Yes, let's." She replied, and she and the Tonkses went out into Diagon Alley, Andromeda ready to begin her life as no longer a member of the "Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

"I can't believe that one of the last times I ever spoke to you was at the house." Narcissa said, rather exhausted from the reminiscing.

"I know, I watched you walk away that day, and part of me wanted to kidnap you, because I could tell what he'd done."

Narcissa sighed.

"I sometimes wished I had had your courage. But then I realized I never would have had my son, and I berate myself for thinking that way."

"I know what you mean. I mean, if I hadn't left, I probably wouldn't be mourning my husband and daughter, and raising my grandson alone. But it was all worth it, every bit. I had over twenty happy years with them that I'd never give back, not in one moment. I think everything that happened to me, might have been a terrible journey I had to take to find my happiness."

"Maybe. I still wish I hadn't told mother and father on you like that."

"They would have found out anyway Cissy. And in the long run, you saved me."

"Then why did I always feel guilty?"

"I don't know, maybe because at the time you felt you were wrong. I was always sad though, that we didn't speak again after that. I was sad my daughter never got to know her aunt or cousin. I would never have brought her to Bellatrix, but I always thought you were still good."

"I wished the same thing, but you're forgetting one thing. Remember when the first war ended, in Flourish and Blotts?"

Andromeda thought and suddenly remembered.

"I'd almost forgotten."

"That was the last time we ever spoke."

"Yes, what a day that was."

Narcissa walked through Diagon Alley clutching her baby tightly, trying to avoid the stares of passersby. Most knew Lucius had been tried for Death Eater activity and she didn't need them ganging up on her. Although she knew she should be feeling devastated by the Dark Lord's demise, Narcissa felt more relieved than anything else. She would be able to bring up her son in a safer world than she had lived. She never wanted Draco to be hurt in any of the ways she had been.

Narcissa ducked into Flourish and Blotts to wait for Lucius there. It was better than standing in the street and with Draco being fussy it would be easier to calm him in a quiet store. As she was wandering through the store, she stumbled upon a strange sight in the section about defensive magic. A little girl, about seven or eight years old was attempting to reach a book from one of the higher shelves. That wasn't the odd thing though, the odd thing was the little girl was sporting purple hair. What parent colored their child's hair purple.

"Excuse me, could get that black book for me please?" The little girl turned to Narcissa asking the question.

"Oh, sure dear." She reached up and took the book down from the shelf. It was a book about Aurors, and how to become one.

"Thank you." The little girl looked up at her and Narcissa noticed the strangest thing. Her eyes looked strangely familiar. Before she had time to contemplate this, a voice rang out as another woman entered the scene.

"There you are Nymphadora. Come let's go…" The woman stilled when she saw Narcissa and Narcissa stared back in shock.

"Cissy?"

"Hello Meda."

The little girl, Nymphadora, looked confused, but had more pressing things on her mind.

"Mummy, can I have this book?"

Andromeda looked at the title quickly.

"Sure dear, in a minute. How have you been Cissy?"

"I've been better, what with the war and all."

"I know, thank Merlin it's over. Or, at least for me, I don't know that your husband would agree."

The voice she used was not mean in any way but Narcissa was rather stung by it anyway. But, Andromeda had a point. Although Narcissa herself was glad the war was over, Lucius didn't share her sentiments.

"Bellatrix went to Azkaban."

"I know, I saw it in the _Daily Prophet_." Andromeda responded. "I wasn't surprised, but I was surprised about Sirius." She seemed kind of sad about that.

"Meda, there's something you should know about that. I don't think Sirius was working for Him."

Andromeda stared.

"Lucius never mentioned seeing him with the Dark Lord, so I don't think he was there. I mean, maybe, but it never seemed likely."

"I hope you're right."

"Narcissa, are you ready to go?" said a voice of a man who had just entered.

Narcissa turned, startled, to find her husband standing behind her. He looked surprised to see who she had run into.

"Well, well, if it isn't the long lost Andromeda Black."

"That would be Andromeda _Tonks_, Mr. Malfoy." She replied coldly. Lucius just smirked.

"And this must be the little girl," he gestured to Nymphadora. Nymphadora glared at him and suddenly her hair turned from purple to red. Narcissa nearly jumped back and Lucius' eyes widened. Andromeda had to work to hide her grin over her daughter's ability.

"Yes, this is Nymphadora, my daughter."

"How nice." They stared at each other coldly, and Narcissa began getting worried that it would get nasty, particularly on Lucius' part. Luckily, Andromeda seemed to understand that too.

"Well, we must be going. Come on Nymphadora, Daddy'll wondering where we've got too."

With that, Andromeda nodded goodbye and left with her obviously very curious daughter. Narcissa heard the little girl whisper,

"Mummy, who were they?"

"Just some old acquaintances dear." Andromeda whispered back as they headed toward the cash register.

The two sisters started laughing.

"The look on your husband's face when she changed her hair color!"

"I know, but it surprised me too." Narcissa said smiling fondly at the memory.

The laughter stopped when a baby's cry pierced the air.

"Teddy, probably time for changing." Andromeda stood up to tend to the baby.

"I should get going anyway." Narcissa caught up and started toward the door, but then turned back.

"Meda? Do you want to have lunch some time next week?"

Andromeda turned, and gave her younger sister a small smile.

"I'd like that. Perhaps we could catch up on things that aren't quite as morbid."

"Yes, that would be nice."

At that moment, Narcissa moved forward, and embraced her sister for the first time in over twenty years. Andromeda returned it gratefully.

"It's good to have you back Meda." Narcissa said before walking toward the door.

"I'll send you an hour about next week." Andromeda promised.

"Yes, do."

With that Andromeda went to tend to her grandson, and Narcissa stepped outside to Apparate home. When she got back, she found Lucius and Draco waiting for her.

"Narcissa, where were you?"

Narcissa took a deep breath.

"I went to visit my sister." They both looked confused.

"But Mum, Aunt Bella is…"

"My other sister, Andromeda." She almost laughed at the look on Lucius' face, but stopped herself.

"But wasn't she disowned?"

"Yes, but blood is thicker than a burn on a tapestry dear. It was time for me to see her again. And I'm glad I did. Now, has dinner been prepared?"

With her husband and son staring at her, wondering about the change in her, she went into the kitchens to see if her family's dinner had been prepared, feeling more cheerful than she had in years. Something inside her had finally healed.

AN: And so ends this story. I know it probably seems to just end Andromeda's story very abruptly, but when you think about it, after she realizes she has been kicked out of her family for good, what else is there in this story. It was about how she came to leave her family. I figured the rest of her story was fairly straight forward after that.


End file.
